The Hamilton Spectator

U.S. dairy: Some want Canada’s supply management left alone

Canada’s system protects farmers from bankruptcy

- ALEXANDER PANETTA

WASHINGTON — The U.S. dairy industry is split on the question of Canada’s supply-management system as national negotiator­s get set to hold their first session on agricultur­e Saturday in North American free trade talks.

A vocal contingent of U.S. farmers actually supports the Canadian system of price-and-import controls and wants their national negotiator­s to leave the Canadian system alone instead of fighting it as expected.

They don’t want to eliminate Canada’s system. They want to emulate it.

At least five organizati­ons have expressed support for creating such a system in the United States. Some have written letters to the official leading the U.S. trade team, urging Robert Lighthizer to leave the Canadian system alone.

That puts them at odds with the national milk lobby, which is tied to export-based producers. It’s also at odds with the U.S. government position, which opposes Canadian supply management and has worked for years to weaken it.

“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 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.”

Canada’s system is highly controlled. It limits imports, and sets fixed prices. The system protects dairy operations from bankruptcy, but is criticized for other alleged shortcomin­gs: higher milk prices, fewer options at the grocery store, a less innovative industry and isolating Canada, preventing it from being a global player.

But the Canadian government notes every country supports its agricultur­e sector in some way. In the U.S., that includes federal income-assistance programs when farms face economic disaster.

In addition, the U.S. has its own supply-management system for sugar. That’s why the Canadian sugar lobby is in Washington, pushing for more liberalize­d trade that would allow additional access to the U.S. market for Alberta beetsugar and sugar-related products.

 ?? CANADIAN PRESS FILE PHOTO ?? A vocal contingent of U.S. farmers want to emulate Canada’s dairy system.
CANADIAN PRESS FILE PHOTO A vocal contingent of U.S. farmers want to emulate Canada’s dairy system.

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