U.S. Dairy Farmers Threaten to Oppose TPP

(Reuters) - U.S. dairy farmers and milk processors on Wednesday threatened to oppose a Pacific trade deal if Japan and Canada do not agree to accept substantially more dairy imports.

In a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative and Department of Agriculture, members of the National Milk Producers Federation and the U.S. Dairy Export Council said Japan and Canada were dragging their feet and U.S. negotiators must insist on "meaningful" dairy market access.

The threat by U.S. agricultural lobbyists to oppose the pact marked an escalation in the dispute and could undermine support in Congress for the trade deal, which is still under negotiation.

Japanese Economics Minister Akira Amari told Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trading partners at talks in Singapore last month that Japan will not agree to abolish all tariffs on wheat, rice, dairy, sugar, wheat, beef and pork.

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The warning from dairy groups comes after wheat, rice and pork farmers called for Japan to be cut out of the TPP talks if it insisted on keeping tariffs on sensitive products, and cattle farmers demanded the TPP eliminate all tariffs on beef.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/03/usa-trade-dairy-idUSL1N0OK1JZ20140603