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Perdue losing optimism on fixing Canada dairy issues in NAFTA

 

U.S. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue says the North American Free Trade Agreement might not resolve Canada’s unfair dairy pricing scheme.

“We would love to have any help in impressing upon the ambassador how important it is to make sure that the dairy situation in regard to Canada is also resolved.  I’m not as optimistic as I’d like to be.”

During Wednesday’s Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on agriculture, Perdue told Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin during questioning the department almost weekly asks U.S Trade Ambassador Robert Lighthizer to get Canada’s dairy management supply situation fixed.

Perdue also said dairy farmers are well aware that the dairy margin protection program is retroactive to the first of the year and he expects more farmers to sign up because of the revisions.