October 20, 2020

Canadian Dairy Farmers Demand Compensation Amid CUSMA Losses

Canadian dairy farmers are demanding compensation from the government because of losses to their industry they say have been caused by a series of international trade deals.

Dairy Farmers of Canada representatives say they have received $1.75 billion in compensation from the government for losses they have incurred due to Canada’s trade deals with Europe and with Pacific Rim countries.

But they have yet to be compensated for a third trade deal: the new North American trade pact with the United States and Mexico — CUSMA.

The lobby group says that by 2024, trade concessions which came into effect on July 1, 2020, will mean that 18% of domestic milk will be outsourced to foreign dairy farmers.

David Wiens, the vice-president of the organization, says it didn’t want to push too hard at the start of the pandemic because the government had its hands full but now the dairy farmers are done waiting.

(Source: Kamloops This Week)