The federal government is providing $1.7 billion in compensation to supply-managed sectors for market access granted under the Canada-US-Mexico free trade agreement (CUSMA) that replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement in 2020. Agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau made the announcement November 14 at a dairy farm in Quebec. Dairy producers will benefit the most from …
CUSMA
Dairy complaint succeeds
Canada’s use of tariff rate quotas in the dairy sector breaches the country’s obligations under CUSMA, the trade deal that replaced NAFTA on July 1, 2020, according to a settlement panel decision published this week. The decision stems from a complaint former US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer filed December 9, 2020. Lighthizer claimed that Canada’s reservation …
Dairy compensation fund opens
There’s a spot of good news for dairy farmers reeling from this year’s natural disasters. Just in time for Christmas, Agriculture and Agri-food Canada is accepting applications for the third round of payments under the Direct Payment Program, worth $38,000 to a farm with 80 cows. The program delivers $1.75 billion to the dairy sector …
New year, new era
BURNABY – A new administration in the US this month is raising hopes for fewer trade hassles in the months ahead. “I expect more predictability and more following the rules,” federal agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau told farm media last month regarding the new US administration. She had previously announced that Canada would not make additional …
Dairy raises US ire
Canada’s dairy sector had the honour last week of triggering the first US enforcement action under CUSMA, the country’s new free trade deal with the US and Mexico that took effect July 1. US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer says Canada’s reservation of tariff rate quotas (TRQs) specifically for dairy processors prevents the US dairy sector from …
No new concessions
Ottawa has promised to protect supply management in future trade deals, citing a deal reached November 21 to ensure continuity in trading arrangements with the UK when it leaves the EU at the end of December. “Our government will not provide market access to our supply managed sectors in any future trade agreements,” federal agriculture …