The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation commends the leadership of Wisconsin Congressmen Reid Ribble and Ron Kind for their efforts to author a bipartisan congressional letter to Canadian officials regarding key agricultural market access issues.
Wisconsin Congressmen Paul Ryan, Sean Duffy and Glenn Grothman were among 19 other cosigners of the letter that addressed the importance of market access for dairy trade as part of the unresolved Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement.
“Canada and Japan have refused to negotiate seriously during the trade discussions with regard to opening their dairy markets up to trade with the United States,” said Jim Holte, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation President. “There is a serious need to maintain a fair balance when opening up market access during trade agreements.”
“Wisconsin farmers and cheesemakers are being asked to take on more market competition without the opportunity to compete with comparable products in protected markets in Canada, as well as Japan,” Holte added.
“Through the TPP negotiating process the United States has opened up new access for dairy imports from New Zealand, the world’s largest dairy exporter,” Holte said. “It’s high time Canada and Japan play by the same rules as everyone else at the negotiating table and grants trade access for dairy products.”
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