Dairy imports off to a slow start in Pacific Rim trade deal

As dairy, egg and poultry farmers wait for the Liberal government to explain the details of a $3.9 billion compensation package promised in this spring's federal budget, a serious threat from imports under the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) has yet to emerge.

Tariff cuts began phasing in on Dec.30 in the Pacific Rim countries that had ratified the deal. Seven of the 11 signatories have ratified so far: Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore and Vietnam. 

One of Canada's concessions allowed more tariff-free imports of dairy, egg and poultry products, which normally are protected from foreign competition by Canada's supply management system.

Dairy farmers had to "take one for the team" and give up another share of their market, as they did in Canada's 2016 European Union deal and the recently-renegotiated North American trade agreement.

But six months into the CPTPP's implementation, the pain farmers anticipated has been slow to materialize...

This was excerpted from the 29 June 2019 edition of CBC News.