Trade agreement will not damage dairy industry in USA

USA/AUSTRALIA – Fears that the free trade agreement (FTA) between the USA and Australia would harm the livelihood of dairy farmers in the USA are unfounded, according to an investigation by the US International Trade Commission (ITC).

In January, the USA’s National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) warned that the outcome of the free trade agreement would be the loss of a quarter of dairy jobs.

The basis of this theory was that the surge in imports would force many farmers out of work. However, the ITC investigation suggested that there would in reality only be a small increase in imports by the USA from Australia, which would have a small effect on the USA’s industry.