There are some
dairy farmers in the United States who like Canada’s supply management system
and they are writing letters to the U.S. trade negotiator, Robert Lighthizer,
urging him to lay off of the Canadians.
In one letter,
the National Family Farm Coalition and Institute for Agricultural & Trade
Policy told Lighthizer: "Do not pressure Canada to weaken its dairy supply
management program.
“Undermining
Canadian supply management will not bring a large increase in U.S. dairy
exports.
“Supply
management helps ensure that dairy prices are high enough to cover the cost of
milk production and keep Canadian family dairy farmers in business."
The National
Farmers Union wrote another letter that said: "Canada's pricing system on
dairy has received substantial criticism from national dairy organizations and
the Administration ... The U.S. should support other nations' sovereignty.
“In other
words, the U.S. should not work to undermine a system that benefits family
farmers on either side of the border."
"I would
hate to go after a program that's protecting farmers, when that's really what
farmers in the U.S. are asking," said Darin Von Ruden, who has a
50-cattle, multi-generational farm and heads the Wisconsin Farmers Union.
"Canada's
supply-management program might not be perfect. But it certainly is doing a
good enough job to make sure that those farmers, especially on the dairy side
in Canada, can continue to stay in business and hand that farm on to the next
generation."
These are
minority opinions. The organization with the largest membership of U.S. dairy
farmers is outspoken in its criticism of Canadian supply management and is
lobbying Lighthizer to bargain hard to gain greater access to the Canadian
market.
During the
Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations, Canada was willing to offer a 3.25 per
cent increase in access to the Canadian dairy market.
Lighthizer has
also made it clear he wants Canada’s provincial milk marketing boards to scrap
their new low-priced category for milk that’s processed to reduce water
content.
That pricing strategy was adopted to stem erosion of the Canadian
farmers’ market for cheeses and similar products.
