A group of Senators is urging the Donald Trump administration to act against what they call trade barriers restricting U.S. dairy farmers access to Canada. New York Democrats Charles Schumer and Kristen Gillibrand, along with Wisconsin Democrat Tammy Baldwin, sent a letter to the Trump administration saying the trade barriers are hurting American dairy farmers and processors. The letter was sent to Acting U.S. Trade Representative Stephen Vaughn, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Acting Secretary of Agriculture Michael Young. The Senators wrote: “Dairy farmers should not have their businesses ruined and lives upended as a result of this unfair trade practice.” At issue is Canada’s new milk pricing scheme that the Senators say led customers of U.S. dairy products in Canada to drastically reduce or eliminate purchases. But, Canada says the nation is not to blame for the actions. A spokesperson for Dairy Farmers of Canada told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: “We don’t feel good about U.S. farms going out of business. But you know what? It’s not our responsibility. It’s your own responsibility, as a country, to manage your production.”
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting news service.