Mexico suspended purchases from 30 U.S. meat plants due to sanitary issues. The suspension may be permanent and has sent U.S. cattle and hog prices into a sharp decline. is move may in fact be retaliation against a U.S. labeling law that would require meat sold in the U.S. to be labeled with the country of origin (commonly called Country-of-Origin Labeling or COOL).

Canada and Mexico oppose the law because they believe it would prompt American shoppers to buy only American meat believing it was safer. Canada and Mexico have nothing to fear, we all know that meat from any country is equally unsanitary.

Banned plants include some of the worst animal right offenders including Cargill Inc, Tyson Foods Inc, JBS, Seaboard and Smithfield Food.

Consumer rights groups say that people have the right to know the origin of their products while the industry would rather see you eat its "mystery meat. " In a time when consumers are attempting to become more aware, the meat industry is eating itself.