Statement from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on USTR Request for USMCA Dispute Settlement Panel on Canada Dairy Tariff-Rate Quota Administration

WASHINGTON, May 25, 2021 — “Today, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative made a request to initiate a dispute settlement panel under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to challenge Canada’s allocation of dairy tariff-rate quotas (TRQs). This is an important step for American agriculture, and one that brings the U.S. dairy sector closer to realizing the full benefits of the USMCA. Ambassador Tai’s action today will help ensure that Canada upholds its commitments under the USMCA and puts our other agricultural trading partners on notice that they must play by the rules. I am hopeful of a swift resolution that allows Canadian consumers access to high-quality U.S. dairy products and delivers the economic opportunities promised under USMCA to U.S. dairy farmers.”

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