On May 18, the World Trade Organization (WTO) is expected to announce its decision on the United States' Country of Origin Labelling (COOL) appeal.

The US is appealing the ruling made by the WTO last fall which was in favour of Canada.

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack seems to be coming around on the issue.

"He recognizes now the economic hurt that this is actually doing to his own industry. He's given instructions to the administration to bring forward a piece of legislation that will either look at a NAFTA label, which or course would encompass us, or something that would seek to repeal what COOL has done."

Ritz noted that he is in favour of the repeal, which he says would help prevent this issue from coming up again in the future.

Canada has threatened to enforce retaliatory tariffs against the US, if the Americans do not comply with the ruling.

The WTO has now ruled in favour of Canada three times.