News

Darigold CEO addresses NAFTA issues

The top executive of a U.S. dairy cooperative told Members of Congress that NAFTA negotiations must preserve access in Mexico and fix Canadian trade challenges.  CEO Stan Ryan told a House Ways and Means subcommittee Tuesday the U.S. needs to remove any uncertainty and ambiguity in its relationship with Mexico.  “Mexico in specific is a 1.2 billion dollar export market for U.S. dairy, and it’s working quite well, frankly.  We have a 73% share of Mexican imports.”

Ryan told the subcommittee NAFTA didn’t open Canadian markets, and Canada’s new Class 7 system is impacting world exports.  “It essentially matches the lowest prices in the world for milk protein finished products despite Canada having one of the world’s highest raw milk farm gate prices all operating under a state-controlled and state-protected system.  Common sense to economics would tell you if it looks and feels like subsidized dumping, it probably is.”

Ryan urged U.S. leaders to negotiate other trade deals in places like Japan and Vietnam, as other countries are now gaining a competitive edge.

Darigold markets 40 percent of its milk products outside the United States, much of it going to Mexico.

The U.S. Trade Representative’s office announced seven rounds of NAFTA negotiations would begin August 16th.