U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer charges Canada is not making needed concessions to strike a deal on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). As the U.S. ideal deadline will pass this weekend, the U.S. is gearing up to move forward with a Mexico-only agreement.
Lighthizer said there was “some distance” between the two sides on issues such as access to Canada’s dairy market and how best to settle trade disputes, according to AgCanada. Lighthizer says the U.S. believes the concessions are “essential” to reaching an agreement.
President Trump has demanded changes in NAFTA, including making dairy a top priority, asking for more market access to Canada, and an end to the Class 7 product dumping on the global market.
The Trump administration says the text of a deal is needed by Saturday to allow the Mexican government to sign it before leaving office on November 30th.
Source: National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service.