Bipartisan Senate Letter Calls for USMCA Dairy Commitments to Be Enforced

Twenty-three senators from both political parties urged U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to press Canada to uphold its promises to give U.S. dairy exporters more market access. In a letter, released by Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., Aug. 26, they said that they agree with concerns about enforcement of USMCA dairy provisions expressed in a July letter sent by House members (see 2007020040), and that they are concerned that Canada's plans to fill its quotas are not consistent with those provisions. “Canada must not be permitted to effectively recreate the harmful impacts of Canada’s highly trade-distortive Classes 6 and 7 milk pricing programs,” the Aug. 25 letter said. “Canada must ... clearly establish prices for any new classes based on the end use of dairy products, and ensure that export surcharges for certain dairy products are implemented properly.”

The senators said that Mexico has compliance issues as well, particularly pertaining to the use of “commonly used cheese terms.” Work is needed to be sure Mexico translates its commitments made in two USMCA side letters into practice in its regulations, so “that all the common cheese names specified under the agreement are respected.” Names such as feta or parmesan are known to Mexican consumers (see 1805150057) and under USMCA “all prior users’ rights [must be] upheld,” they said, so that the geographical indications that European producers claim (see 2007310039) don't take precedence.