Canadian Dairy Farmers Air Concerns on USMCA with Trudeau

Canadian dairy producers met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last week in Montreal and expressed concern about provisions in the U.S., Mexico, Canada Agreement (USMCA) that grants the U.S. increased access to the Canadian dairy market.Comments from officials after the session indicate they remain concerned about the potential impacts to their industry even as the Canadian government pledged to compensate farmers for their losses."The absence of details on measures to mitigate the impact of the concessions made within the USMCA, as well as the absence of a vision for the future of our industry at this time, cannot appease the concerns of the dairy farmers," said Pierre Lampron, president of Dairy Farmers of Canada. In remarks after the session, Trudeau said, "They told me they were worried. They told me they felt they have continued to give through a number of trade deals we have signed and they are right. Dairy farmers across the country have faced challenges with those trade deals."Trudeau said he acknowledged their concerns and reiterated the government would "work with them."