Trump's threatened tariffs on Canadian dairy products 'just noise': Expert

U.S. President Donald Trump recently signaled his intention to impose steep tariffs on Canadian dairy, raising concerns about the future of trade relations between the two countries. According to Canadian agri-food expert Sylvain Charlebois, these threats are merely "noise" and may not translate into significant market changes. This move highlights potential future battles over U.S. access to Canadian markets.

Despite Trump's claims that Canada has been exploiting the U.S. with its dairy policies, the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) already provides substantial market access for American dairy products into Canada. Charlebois argues that such measures might be politically driven rather than economically justified, as exporting to the U.S. is not a central element of Canada's dairy strategy.

The Dairy Farmers of Ontario note that the U.S. enjoys a considerable dairy trade surplus with Canada, exporting significantly more to Canada than it imports. This controversy underscores the complexities surrounding trade agreements and market access, with both parties calling for negotiations to resolve ongoing disputes.