"And they buy our milk at Sam's because Canadian milk is very expensive. True story."
This quote came from a Detroit-area woman who commented on Canadians for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart in 2013 as Al Madrigal hosted a segment on the (now-named) Gordie Howe bridge.
I haven't bought much milk in Canada but I can tell you Canadian milk, in bags or in jugs, is expensive. Canadian eggs and poultry are also quite expensive.
Canada supply management has come up in NAFTA negotiations and the tariffs battle between the United States and Canada. Canada limits production, mostly for internal use, and allows farmers to get a good price for their output.
The American subsidies help consumers more than farmers; the Canadian subsidies help farmers more than consumers. The surprise is the Canadian approach isn't supply management or subsidies, but that they make average Canadians pay. No wonder Canadians cross the border for cheaper American milk.
Balanceoffood.com Canada food policy coverage
For more details on this story, check out this story from our sister blog, CanadianCrossing.com.
video credit: YouTube/pincstuff
photo credit: Dairy Farmers of Canada
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