Dairy Farmers of Canada React to CETA Signing

Dairy Famers of Canada (DFC) acknowledges the Government on the conclusion of this deal and recognizes the hard work of the Government of Canada. Now that the CETA deal has been signed, and awaits ratification for implementation, DFC is eager to see how the government is going to fulfil its promise of a mitigation and compensation package to Canada’s dairy farmers.

“Now that CETA has been signed, Canadian dairy farmers and cheesemakers await the announcement of the promised compensation” said Wally Smith, President of DFC. “We are pleased that, since 2013, we have been able to get the Government of Canada to understand that lost market opportunities warrant mitigation and compensation.”

The market access granted in CETA will cost Canadian dairy farmers as much as $116 million in lost milk sales going into the making of high quality, award-winning Canadian cheeses each year, as imported cheeses from Europe take more shelf space. Canadian dairy farmers have never opposed Canada signing more trade deals, as long as there are no negative impacts on dairy farmers as a result of these agreements.

Dairy farmers stand with many small and medium cheesemakers across Canada in wanting to continue to grow the market for high quality Canadian dairy products.