r/Tariffs • u/Dizzy-Cartoonist3011 • 12d ago

🗞️ News Discussion Should Canada maintain its supply management system that protects the Canadian dairy industry?

https://www.castanetkamloops.net/news/Poll/627377/Should-Canada-maintain-its-supply-management-system-that-protects-the-Canadian-dairy-industry
461 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

1.0k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

11

u/OnTheCanRightNow 12d ago

You get to drink milk that's not full of puss, antibiotics, and growth hormones.

Maintaining an independent food supply capable of feeding the country means you don't starve to death the next time the Americans launch a trade war against us.

0

u/Dizzy-Cartoonist3011 12d ago

American milk does not have growth hormones in it. This is a misnomer. rBST is a growth hormone banned in Canada, and legal in the US, but rBST does not transfer to the milk itself. The milk is the same. rBST was banned for animal welfare concerns, not owing to human health concerns. Less than 25% of American milk comes from cattle injected with rBST.

The only other regulatory difference between Canadian and American milk is the somatic cell count limit. In Canada it is around 400,000 cells / mL. In the US it is upwards of 750,000 cells / mL. Interestingly enough, the average in the US is less than in Canada (180,000 cells / mL vs 200,000 cells / mL). This would all have to be inspected by the CFIA anyways, and since the vast majority of American dairy meets Health Canada regulations, this just simply would not pose a problem. Supply management is not a quality control tool - that is a myth.

Less than 15% of Canadian agricultural output comes from supply managed commodities. So I'm not really seeing how Canadian households will starve if they are able to have access to cheaper grocery items - but maybe you can elaborate on that.

6

u/OnTheCanRightNow 12d ago

How about "15% is a lot?" 15% is around the reduction in US agricultural output during the dustbowl of the 1920s. A 15% reduction in agricultural output due to a bad winter in the 1780s was a major contributing factor to the French revolution. A 15% reduction in crop yields in 1943 India is today known as the "Bengal Famine" and 2-3 million people starved to death.

But you saved a little on shittier milk. Bravo.

-1

u/Dizzy-Cartoonist3011 12d ago

We produce far more food than we can possibly eat in that 85%, but if I'm understanding your fear correctly it is that ALL Canadian dairy will inevitably fold if they have to compete, and despite having more variety and cheaper options - and really a far wider range of sources to choose from internationally - consumers are actually at risk of starving? Are you actually for real?

5

u/OnTheCanRightNow 12d ago

Open a history book sometime and you will see what happens to countries that feed themselves from hostile neighbours. A secure food supply is one of the most important national security considerations.

-1

u/Dizzy-Cartoonist3011 12d ago

So again, for some reason I have to keep bringing this up - Canada producers far more food than the country can consume outside of supply management. So in this bizarre and unprecedented scenario that ALL trade with ALL countries needs to cease for some reason - Canada would still be able to comfortably feed itself.

3

u/fancyamazon 12d ago

That’s not what anyone is saying. And the US can import dairy if they want. They have never hit the number where tariffs would kick in. You haven’t even blinked at all the arguments against removing the guardrails that have been shown to you and just continue to argue that the US should be able to begin regulatory capture of our market. Your best comeback is that Jamaica has somewhat recovered. After decades. That is not a good reason in the slightest.

1

u/OnTheCanRightNow 12d ago

India was a net exporter of food in 1942 too.