OTTAWA, August 13, 2026 – Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) and the Dairy Processors Association of Canada (DPAC) are disappointed to once again see dairy drawn into a broader trade dispute, particularly when Canada continues to uphold the commitments it negotiated and agreed to with the United States under CUSMA.
“Canadians are understandably worried about the impact of U.S. trade disruptions and the impact it could have on their lives. It is also clear that Canadians believe in the importance of having control over our food supply and ensuring that Canada’s strong domestic dairy sector is not compromised,” said David Wiens, president of DFC.
“Our national food sovereignty is not up for negotiation,” added Wiens. “We are concerned about additional concessions after already being forced to concede significant market access through successive trade agreements, including CUSMA. We have made our concerns and position clear both publicly and with government: it is imperative that no more concessions on dairy or supply management are made in talks with the United States.”
“The trade relationship in dairy already? massively favours the United States. U.S. dairy exports to Canada far exceed Canadian dairy exports to the U.S. by more than $600 million annually and have increased by more than 150% since CUSMA came into effect,” affirmed Mathieu Frigon, president and CEO of DPAC. “Canada’s dairy processing sector is a major employer in communities across Canada, and our dairy industry depends on predictable, rules-based trade with our largest trading partner.”
While the sector appreciates and remains confident that the federal and provincial governments are working hard to defend Canadian interests and find solutions that will be appropriate for all sectors, Canada has already made several concessions in recent months to advance CUSMA review discussions with the U.S., only to be met each time with fresh demands.
“We won’t apologize for wanting a strong Canadian dairy sector that ensures a reliable supply of milk from Canadian farms, produced to Canadian standards while contributing to Canada’s economy and the vitality of its rural communities,” added Wiens.
According to recent Nanos data, more than 9 in 10 Canadians believe it is important to ensure Canada has as much control as possible over our food supply. In the past week, thousands of Canadians have written to government in defense of dairy farmers and Canada’s food sovereignty.
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