The next steps

Autumn is here as of today, at least in our house. This is usually the back to school week for the offspring, but this year they’re off to university, having spent the summer learning to make coffee and wash up, plus paint a local fence of two. So it’s all change for them – it’s terrifying and exciting at the same time for everyone. Not to mention expensive.

Meanwhile, we head into the fall with education on the cards for the international dairy sector. The recent European Union-US trade agreement is being picked over for the news that it significantly increases the tonnage on tariff-free products from the US coming into the EU, versus other trade agreements such as the EU-Mercosur one. Anything out of the most favoured nation quota will be subject to higher duties into the US, it seems. The European Dairy Association is sending a delegation at the end of September to exchange views with the US industry. As EDA secretary general Alexander Anton notes, “This agreement changes the framework for dairy trade across the Atlantic. Predictability is an important gain, but our sector faces real challenges on both sides of the ocean. We need careful implementation that keeps the level playing field in mind and recognises the commitments already made in multilateral and bilateral contexts.”

It will be interesting to see how all this will fare, as the recent appeal court rulings in the US said the current occupant of the White House has misused his implementation of the tariffs under “an international emergency economic powers act.” Seeing as setting international levies is actually a Congressional power, not an executive one, it remains to be seen how the Supreme Court will act in response to this. I think being a trade negotiator on any side of the fence is a job I would not want right now, myself.

In more cheerful news, we are a week closer to our Dairy Industries Expo, discussing the future of the dairy sector and its outlook, for keeping the planet going, both in food supply and reducing global warming. Don’t miss out, register today!

• Suzanne Christiansen, editor, Dairy Industries International.
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