Food fight!
US has banned Canadian beef imports because of a cow in Alberta had mad cow disease. The Canadian Beef Industry thinks that the US has gone overboard, but I'm with my country on this one. We need to keep our food safe, and mad cow disease is scary in cows AND humans.

It's too bad that the US doesn't give genetically modified foods the same respect. Not only do we not have labeling to tell us which foods have been genetically modified so we, as consumers, can decide just what we want to put in our mouths, but the US has filed a complaint through the World Trade Organization against the European Union. The EU has banned imports of genetically modified food, and the US claims that this is illegal. It seems like the is the US reaction to Europe in an escalating trade war, since Europe just complained about US tariffs on imported steel and the WTO listened, ruling those tariffs illegal.

If you agree with free trade, then the WTO ruling is correct. I've never been a big fan of free trade or the WTO, though. I'll be even less of a fan if the US succeeds in forcing genetically modified food down the throats of unwilling Europeans just because our industries want to make a few more bucks on imports. Looking at how our government treats citizens who speak out against biotechnology, Europe should be on guard.