CALGARY -- Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz says the next ruling in a long, drawn-out dispute over meat-labelling requirements in the United States is only a couple of weeks away.

Ritz told reporters in Calgary that the World Trade Organization is scheduled to release its next ruling on Oct. 20.

He also said the U.S. government is likely to make the final appeal allowed it on the issue.

Ritz said he doesn't expect anything different from the next ruling since Canada has made its case again and again.

Country-of-origin labelling, also known as COOL, is costing the North American meat industry billions of dollars and has been enforced since 2008.

Ritz said the American industry and many states are also opposed to the measure, but the U.S. government remains unconvinced that it should be abolished.