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Precedence needs to be set on Canadian dairy trade

A dairy farmer says Canada creating an additional class of milk manipulates the North American Free Trade Agreement and cannot go unnoticed.

“If other trading nations see that you can create new classifications, create new policy since the agreement was put in place that allows you to manipulate the agreement— we cannot let that go unnoticed because other countries will be doing the same thing.”

Fifth-generation Michigan dairy and cash crop farmer Hank Choate was part of an exclusive farmer roundtable with President Trump in Washington Tuesday. He tells Brownfield import duties imposed by the Administration this week on softwood lumber from Canada are reciprocal of what that country has done to America’s dairy industry.  “He expressed it that not only do we want free trade, we need to make certain that it is fair trade.  It’s no difference in fair trade whether it’s agricultural product, or whether it’s manufactured products or raw products.”

Choate says Canada’s creation of an ultra-filtered milk class after NAFTA opens the door for other countries to violate trade agreements. Canadian dairy officials say the oversupply of milk is a U.S. problem, and their supply management system should be protected.

AUDIO: Interview with Hank Choate