At a roundtable meeting, Canadian Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay assured producers that the government will defend supply management for the agricultural sector in negotiations for the new NAFTA. The United States has complained repeatedly about Canada’s dairy system, which limits imports and assures milk producers of a high market price.
The dairy sector was excluded from the 1994 free trade pact. MacAulay told producers the government would defend supply management, which also applies to pork, beef, eggs, poultry and wine, during the modernization of the tri-national agreement, said the Canadian Press. “The United States realizes we are their friends but there’s things to iron out and hopefully, it will iron out in a very positive way and even make the deal better,” said MacAulay.
Over the weekend, Canada’s chief NAFTA negotiator said he did not expect to see any details from the United States during this week’s round of talks on its intentions to end the supply-management system for dairy and poultry.
U.S. and Canadian trade officials have put on the table separate but similar proposals on agricultural biotechnology, said iPolitics. Canada’s text echoed language that was part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership pact. Seven rounds of talks are planned with the goal of an agreement by the end of this year. Ottawa is hosting the third round this week.