North Country Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, has joined several other House members in urging U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to consider the inclusion of critical dairy-related priorities in any renegotiation of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Canada recently revised its milk classification system, leading to changes in the dairy market that have disproportionately hurt farmers in New York State, the statement from Stefanik and her colleagues says. According to the group, the Class 7 National Ingredients Strategy distorts the global market and has increased dumping of excess milk production, which has driven global milk prices down to artificially low levels.

This, coupled with restricted access to Canada’s dairy market, has hit dairy farmers in New York particularly hard, Stefanik says.

"North Country dairy farmers are struggling and it is critical that we level the playing field in NAFTA renegotiations," said Stefanik. "President Trump has shown his commitment to fighting unfair trade practices and my colleagues and I are asking the administration to stand up for our dairy farmers here,” she said.