Shaheen Makes Bipartisan Push to Enforce Trade Agreement Fairly for Dairy Farmers

Shaheen and bipartisan group of Senators: “USMCA is poised to create new export opportunities for America’s dairy industry and a more equitable playing field for American dairy exports in Mexico and Canada, but effective implementation will be critical to realizing these gains”

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) called for enforcement of United States-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement (USMCA) dairy provisions. In a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, Shaheen and a bipartisan group of Senators said that holding trade partners accountable to their trade commitments is critical to supporting dairy farmers and American dairy exports. Enforcing provisions of the USMCA, such as equal access to markets, is especially critical to New Hampshire dairy farms, which are participating more in international trade and play a vital role in their local communities and the state’s economy. U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) led the bipartisan group in sending the letter.

“Fair market access for American dairy farmers was a key pillar of the USMCA’s agriculture section,” the Senators wrote.  “USMCA is poised to create new export opportunities for America’s dairy industry and a more equitable playing field for American dairy exports in Mexico and Canada, but effective implementation will be critical to realizing these gains.”

“With 15% of all U.S. milk produced being sold internationally – equal to one day’s production each week – equal access to the Canadian market is particularly important for dairy farmers here in the Northeast and New Hampshire. There is a ripple effect, market access to the Canadian market moves dairy products manufactured in northern New York and adjacent areas, helping to expand the market for the milk produced by our dairy farmers in New Hampshire,” said Denis Ward, President of the New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation.

You can read a copy of the letter here.