January 25, 2018

Canada will not concede further in NAFTA renegotiations, dairy sector says
 

Canada's dairy industry is not about to endure further difficulties as a result of NAFTA renegotiation, the sector said.

It added that it had conceded significantly in previous trade agreements. Dairy Farmers of Ontario CEO Graham Lloyd advised that the US should come back into the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) if it expects more access into Canada.

"They shouldn't be looking for NAFTA to gain access to the dairy market," he opined, claiming that granting the US more access could adversely impact Canadian dairy farming. 

The TPP would grant a 3.25% quota which was expected to be filled mainly by the US had it stayed in the agreement. Maintaining this quota, in light of  its withdrawal, means that Australia and New Zealand's dairy will displace those of the US.

More than 15% of the Canadian dairy market will be opened to imports once the TPP comes into effect. This percentage also materialised from past trade deals in the 1990s and the Canada-Europe trade agreement.

- National Post