President Trump has repeatedly attacked the Canadian dairy industry with the aim of “wiping out dairy farmers here at home,” said Dairy Farmers of Canada on Monday. Meanwhile, U.S. and Canadian farm groups urged government leaders “to engage in positive discourse that protects the strong trade ties that benefit American and Canadian farmers alike.”
In a flurry of scornful postings on social media, Trump attacked the trade policies of Canada and Germany, questioned the character of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and complained of high tariffs for dairy imported into Canada. “Fair Trade is now to be called Fool Trade if it is not reciprocal,” he tweeted over the weekend. “Sorry, we cannot let our friends, or enemies, take advantage of us on Trade anymore. We must put the American worker first!”
The president’s comments raised fear of a breakdown in negotiations for the new NAFTA. The tri-national pact generally allows duty-free access for U.S. ag products to Canada and Mexico. Together, the North American neighbors account for one-third of U.S. food and ag trade. Overall, exports generate 20 cents of each $1 in U.S. farm income.
“Canadian dairy farmers and their families are concerned by the sustained attacks by President Trump with an aim to wiping out dairy farmers here at home,” said the Canadian dairy group. It said a larger share of Canada’s dairy market is open to tariff-free import than in the United States and Canada has too small a population – one-ninth of the U.S. total – “to make a dent in U.S. (dairy) overproduction.”
One of the U.S. goals in NAFTA negotiations is elimination of Canada’s supply management system for dairy, poultry and eggs as a barrier to U.S. products. Canada has fiercely defended its agricultural system.
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Canadian Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay are to meet Friday at MacAulay’s farm on Prince Edward Island for a bilateral meeting. “Been planning this trip for weeks, to discuss issues of shared importance in agriculture,” said Perdue on Twitter, referrng to MacAulay as “my friend and Canadian colleague.” MacAulay was equally cordial, “I am proud to be welcoming my friend @SecretarySonny to beautiful Prince Edward Island on Friday to discuss opportunities for cooperation in agriculture between Canada and the United-States.”
The National Farmers Union and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture jointly urged preservation of agricultural trade relations. “Given the global food and on-farm challenges we are facing and will face in the future, American and Canadian farmers need the certainty that the Canada-U.S. trading relationship has provided for our farm products. To disrupt this relationship would be detrimental for farmers on both sides of the border, as our agricultural sectors are heavily integrated and, to a large extent, rely upon one another for each other’s success,” said the groups.