The US will ban imports of Canadian whey products from 29 September. At the same time, the US will impose a 50 per cent tariff on Canadian cheese from 15 September, according to proclamations from the White House.

US President Donald Trump has signed proclamations banning the import of selected Canadian dairy raw materials to the US from 29 September. This is according to a notice from the White House.

According to trade publication Supply Chain Dive, the ban covers a range of whey products – including whey protein concentrate, fluid whey, dry whey and modified whey. From 15 September, the US will also extend its existing 50 per cent tariff to cover speciality cheeses from Canada. This is part of a broader expansion of the tariff list, Supply Chain Dive writes.

Response to Canadian retaliatory tariffs
The proclamations follow Canada’s imposition, on Tuesday, of retaliatory tariffs on goods worth 27.6 billion Canadian dollars – including American milk and cream. This is according to Reuters.

According to the White House, the ban is a response to what US authorities describe as Canadian discrimination against American trade in the dairy sector.

The trade conflict between the two countries escalated after negotiations between the US and Canada broke down on 21 August.

By Maja Løvstrup
Photo: Colourbox