Island dairy farmers fear U.S. could double-dip in market access
'If the U.S. wants market access, they had it in TPP'
If the U.S. is given greater access to Canadian dairy markets in NAFTA negotiations, Island dairy farmers fear the United States could double-dip in market access by possibly joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
Harold MacNevin, chairman of Dairy Farmers of P.E.I., is calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the federal government to "not give up anymore [dairy] market access" during NAFTA negotiations.
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"If the U.S. wants market access, they had it in TPP," MacNevin told CBC News: Compass.
"Our fear as producers is our Canadian government gives them more access under NAFTA, and then the U.S. turns around and rejoins the CPTPP and gets more again."
The CPTPP — formerly known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) — is a free-trade deal involving Canada and Asia-Pacific markets.
The U.S. was a part of the deal when it was known as TPP — until President Donald Trump pulled out in early 2017.
Trump has since bashed Canada's dairy supply-management system and American bureaucrats have demanded greater access to the dairy market north of the border.
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Dairy farmers on P.E.I., MacNevin said, are worried that if the U.S. wins greater access to Canadian markets with NAFTA, the U.S. could potentially join CPTPP too and flood Canada's market — putting the supply-management system in a stranglehold.
"If you keep whittling away at our market, what is the point of supply management anymore because you've given away most of the value of our market," he said.
Canada's supply management system, which is in place to limit the amount of dairy that can be imported into Canada without high tariffs, has long been a point of contention.
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With files from CBC News: Compass