American producers say Canada is denying them fair access to the Canadian market

The United States is ramping up its dispute with Canada over the sale of American dairy products north of the border — the first significant new trade squabble between the two countries of the post-NAFTA era.

U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai formally requested a dispute settlement panel Tuesday to examine allegations from American producers that Canada is denying them fair access to the Canadian market. The request marks a significant escalation of American complaints about the way Canada is allocating access to its supply-managed dairy market under NAFTA's successor, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

"A top priority for the Biden-Harris administration is fully enforcing the USMCA and ensuring that it benefits American workers," Tai said in a statement. "Launching the first panel request under the agreement will ensure our dairy industry and its workers can seize new opportunities under the USMCA to market and sell U.S. products to Canadian consumers."...

This was excerpted from the 25 May 2021 edition of CBC News.