The American Bakers Association (ABA), Washington, DC, is calling on Congress to include full repeal of U.S. country-of-origin labeling (COOL) rules in an omnibus spending package, following a World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling on Dec. 7.

“Our members are already hearing from customers that retaliatory tariffs will force them to take their business elsewhere,” says ABA president and CEO Robb MacKie. “It is imperative that COOL Repeal be included in the omnibus spending package before more than $1 billion in U.S. trade are lost.” Congress will vote on the omnibus spending packaging on Dec. 11.

According to ABA, bakers are threatened with a 100 percent tax on baked goods and ingredients on a list released by Canada and fear similar retaliatory action from Mexico.

“Hopefully, today’s announcement will push the Senate to heed U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Robert’s (R-KS) call that anything but full repeal of COOL will be crippling to American companies who do business with Canada and Mexico,” adds MacKie.

ABA encourages everyone in the baking industry to access its RisetoAction website and ask their senators and representatives to include COOL Repeal in any omnibus spending package.