FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 25, 1996
CONTACT: Dana Hagerty 202/225-2165
WASHINGTON, DC -- A Livestock, Dairy and Poultry subcommittee hearing was held today to look into the preliminary report of a NAFTA panel, which was set up to determine whether Canada’s restrictive tariff-rate quotas on U.S. dairy products are allowed under NAFTA.
“That preliminary report indicated that the trade barriers may be allowed under NAFTA, however, reports out of Canada suggest that the final report, due in November, will not be favorable for the U.S.,” Congressman Collin C. Peterson (DFL-7th District) said today. “However, we have been unable to get confirmation on these reports.
“Over the last few years, Canada has almost tripled their imports into the United States, while we remain blocked from increasing our exports to Canada, so I just don’t see how these barriers can be fair,” Peterson said.
“I originally opposed NAFTA, due in large part to the fact that dairy was left off the table,” Peterson continued. “They claimed that NAFTA was about free trade, but the truth is Canada is free to trade with us, but we aren’t free to trade with them.”
Representatives from USDA and the United States Trade Representative’s office attended today’s hearing to tell Members that they will continue to push to open up Canadian markets.
“I am glad to hear that the administration isn’t giving up on this effort, but I am still frustrated over Canada’s prohibitive trade barriers,” Peterson added. “Minnesota dairy farmers have a large untapped market for their products in their neighbor Canada, and a truly free trade policy would definitely benefit them.”