Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, one of the largest dairy cooperatives in the country, issued a statement yesterday after the signing of the first phase of a trade deal between the United States and China.
Statement from Brody Stapel, president of Edge and a dairy farmer in eastern Wisconsin:
“Given the massive potential China has as an export market for dairy farmers and processors, a trade agreement that increases our opportunities there is a positive step.
“The importance of the Chinese market to the dairy community grows by the day. Within the next few years, China will surpass the United States to become the world’s largest dairy market, reaching a value of $114 billion a year by 2024.
“As we look forward to reviewing the details specific to dairy in this agreement, we trust that the deal reflects how significant China is to the sustainability of our businesses.
“The deal does not address retaliatory tariffs China has placed on our dairy products. It is important that removing these tariffs be part of subsequent agreements.
“We appreciate the administration’s commitment to making sure our country gets a fair shake, and we hope dairy is a top priority in further negotiations with China.”
About Edge:
Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative provides dairy farmers throughout the Midwest with a powerful voice — the voice of milk — in Congress, with customers and within their communities. Edge, based in Green Bay, Wis., is one of the top cooperatives in the country based on milk volume.