B.C. dairy farmers are disappointed after a new trilateral free trade agreement was reached between the U.S., Mexico and Canada, saying it will weaken the industry.

The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement, announced late Sunday after 14 months of negotiations, includes greater access to the Canadian market by American dairy farmers.

Sixth generation dairy farmer Devan Toop of Chilliwack in the Lower Mainland said the deal will do nothing to help struggling U.S. dairy farmers, nor will it help consumers on this side of the border with lower prices.

91裸聊视频淧rices of milk or cheese will not go down because the processors and grocers will absorb the margin,91裸聊视频� Toop said on social media soon after word of the deal was released.

91裸聊视频淐anadian dairy farmers will now be paid less for their milk as processors import product from the states. [U.S. President Donald] Trump has turned the absurdity of American dairy, a system that needs reform to survive, into a talking point to help Republicans in the upcoming byelection.91裸聊视频�

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Toop was asked about Trump and supply management during a recent farm tour, and he said Americans need supply management as much as Canada needs to keep it.

91裸聊视频淭he problem with their milk system isn91裸聊视频檛 having enough places to put it, it is that they are over-producing on such a grand scale,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭hey are dumping milk left, right and centre.91裸聊视频�

Clarke Gourlay, dairy farmer and co-owner of Morningstar Farm in Parksville on Vancouver Island, said the new deal will affect milk production.

91裸聊视频淚t definitely means that we will be producing less Canadian milk, which is not good for Canadian dairy farmers,91裸聊视频� Goular said. 91裸聊视频淚t means that Canadian consumers will be purchasing more milk produced on environmentally unsustainable farms with illegal Mexican labour.91裸聊视频�

He added that the deal allows for 91裸聊视频渁 lot more substandard milk for the Canadian consumer.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e already given away a portion of our market to Europe, to Asia and now to the United States,91裸聊视频� he said.

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The Dairy Farmers of Canada has said the USMCA would give U.S. farmers greater access to Canada91裸聊视频檚 dairy industry, worth about 3.6 per cent of Canada91裸聊视频檚 current dairy market.

The Canadian dairy sector employs more than 220,000 Canadians and contributes close to $20 billion a year to Canada91裸聊视频檚 gross domestic product.

paul.henderson@theprogress.com
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