Labelling is a difficult thing to understand. All I can do is relate to Canada and it is changing - but as it stands today it is still very misleading.
New laws are coming into effect in Canada that will change this - however:
To be considered "Product of Canada" - all that is required is the packaging of the product. So it can be imported from any country and then packaged.
Reading labels does not always solve the problem - it simply reduces them.
As we are talking honey, the Billy Bee brand in Canada imports a lot of honey and packages it - calling it product of Canada. Bee Maid does the same thing. In fact this honey was created in a foreign country and is sold as a product of Canada.
Anytime you buy a tin can of fruit in Canada - it is almost 90% imported fruit. There is no longer even one company that creates commercial canned food from Canadian product in Canada any more.
As for trade - Canada is the
largest single trading partner of the U.S of A.
Reference:
http://dataweb.usitc.gov/scripts/cy_m3_run.asp
Canada and the U.S. of A. do more than a BILLION dollars a day of trade
Reference:
http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/top ... lance.html
You would not know this as the major U.S. of A. news networks do not cover the northern neighbour very well - no stock market reports, very little business news and certainly no other financial news.
Certainly if you ask the average American who is their largest trading partner Canada will not likely be the first name on their lips.
Beef is a small fart in the wind when compared to natural resources and industrial trade between our two countries.
Seems they like to cover the weather in Canada once in a while though!
Financial news is always about China and Japan - which rank number two and four behind Canada (first) and Mexico ranks third in trade with the U.S. of A.
Trade and labelling - I think I am one of the few Canucks who does not disagree with COOL - and for sure that makes me unpopular in the Canadian cattle industry.
I just want the same COOL in this country. And I want it APPLIED!!!!
Regards
Bez