Island dairy farmers fear U.S. could double-dip in market access

If the U.S. is given greater access to Canadian dairy markets in NAFTA negotiations,Island dairy farmers fear the United Statescould double-dip in market access by possibly joining theComprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership(CPTPP).

HaroldMacNevin, 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" duringNAFTA negotiations.

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"If the U.S. wants market access, they had it inTPP,"MacNevintold CBC News: Compass.

"Our fear as producers is our Canadian government gives them more access underNAFTA, and then the U.S. turns around and rejoins theCPTPPand gets more again."

The CPTPP formerly known as theTrans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is afree-trade deal involving Canada and Asia-Pacific markets.

The U.S. was a part of the deal when itwas known as TPPuntil 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 marketnorth 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 withNAFTA,the U.S. could potentially join CPTPP tooand floodCanada'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'ssupply management system, whichis in place to limitthe amount of dairy that can be imported into Canada without high tariffs, has long been a point of contention.

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