Canadian Dairy Farmers Face Uncertainty Amid U.S. Tariff Threats
Source: dairynews.today
Locus Lane Farm and other Canadian dairy farms are concerned about U.S. tariff threats, which could impact the local market and farm operations.
Locus Lane Farm in Brockville, Ont., has been a family-owned dairy farm since 1901. "We’ve been feeding Canadians with quality milk for that period of time," Scott Connell tells CTV News Ottawa. Recent tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump have created uncertainty for Canadian dairy farmers like Connell.
On Friday, Trump stated that Canada would face the same tariffs unless they drop existing tariffs on dairy products. "Canada has been ripping us off for years on tariffs for lumber and dairy products," he told reporters, hinting that tariffs could be imposed as soon as Monday.
The tariffs, originally part of the 2020 U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, eliminated most tariffs on North American products but allowed Canadian dairy tariffs to remain as an exception to protect domestic farmers.
Connell worries that U.S. farmers might capture some of Canada’s dairy market, affecting local farms. Despite recent growth at Locus Lane, with production up by 40% since 2017, Connell fears that the farm may need to adjust its operations due to this threat. "Everything is uncertain," he expresses concern.
