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Dairy groups, lawmakers ask Trump for action against Canada

President Donald Trump has been asked by leading U.S. dairy groups to take immediate action against Canada’s trade policies.

The request made Thursday by National Milk Producers, the International Dairy Foods Association, state agriculture departments, and the U.S. Dairy Export Council seeks quick action against Canada for what they call “repeated and escalating disregard for its trade obligations under NAFTA.”

The group wants Trump to examine a full range of tools that could be used immediately.”

 

Dairy Export Council President Tom Vilsack tells Brownfield Canada’s trade policy could have a rippling and consequential effect for the entire industry.  “So even though there may not be individual producers that are being told their milk is not going to be purchased as is the case in Wisconsin, all of the producers are going to know that the price that they’re going to receive now and in the future may be negatively impacted if Canada does not provide a more open market.”

 

And Vilsack says the dairy trade issue should be front and center when NAFTA is reopened.  “That is the quickest way to getting this thing in a better position than it is today.”

 

Letters supporting actions against Canada were also sent to the president by the ag secretaries in Wisconsin and New York, and some federal lawmakers.

Canada’s dairy industry says its supply management system and new Class 7 milk price is not a NAFTA issue.