I'd like to ask Mr. Mann a question about country-of-origin labelling. I know that wasn't part of your discussion this morning.
Our committee had the opportunity to go to the United States last week and meet with the chair of the House agriculture committee. Some of us, in direct conversation with him, asked him about COOL. We were left with the impression from our farmers here that beef farmers were getting on average $100 less a head because of the application of COOL rules in the United States.
He led us to believe it's not the problem we are claiming it to be. Though the segregation issue may be applicable in areas where meat is destined for hospitals or military and has to be segregated, the fact is that you just separate the herds--Canadian, American--and you don't have to clean the equipment; you put the American through and then you put the Canadian through. Perhaps Mr. Shipley can confirm--maybe even the chair--that it is a tactic being used by American processors claiming that COOL should be pressing the price of our head downward.
Can you comment on that?