Agropur reacts to concessions made under the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)

Longueuil, Quebec, October 2, 2018 - Agropur is disappointed that the dairy industry has been used as a bargaining chip once again in the renegotiation of the free trade agreement between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.

“Canada has given in again and this will have a major impact on our members in five provinces and on the entire Canadian dairy industry,” said René Moreau, President of Agropur. “These latest concessions come on top of others that were recently made, namely the import quotas granted under the Canada-Europe free trade agreement (CETA) and the concessions in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The cumulative effect will clearly have an impact on Canada’s dairy industry. The constant changes to trade agreements to which Canada is a party is increasing the level of uncertainty and greatly complicating long-term planning of our investments in our Canadian facilities.”

“Once the final text of the agreement is available, we will be in a better position to assess its full impact,” Mr. Moreau added. “We are also awaiting details of the compensatory measures announced by the government. The allocation of tariff-rate quotas will be a key factor in mitigating the impact on processors. Despite these developments, the Cooperative remains committed to serving Canadians by offering them quality dairy products made with Canadian milk.”

About Agropur

Agropur Cooperative is a North American dairy industry leader founded in 1938. With sales of $6.4 billion in 2017, the Cooperative is a source of pride to the 3,290 members and 8,300 employees who work together in pursuit of a shared goal: Better Dairy. Better World. Agropur processes more than 6.1 billion litres of milk per year at its 39 plants across North America and boasts an impressive roster of respected brands and products, including Natrel, OKA, iögo, BiPro, Agropur Grand Cheddar, Olympic, Farmers, Island Farms and Québon. Agropur’s head office is certified LEED Silver. www.agropur.com

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Information:

Véronique Boileau

Vice-President, Communications

Agropur Cooperative

450-878-1844