WATCH: US trade ambassador 'at the end of our rope' over Canada's restrictions on US goods

US trade representative Jamieson Greer stated Canada has been blocking certain US agriculture products for years from entering the Canadian market.On Wednesday, at a US committee hearing, a New York representative, Claudia Tenney, asked several questions to Greer regarding US trade imports for dairy, wine, and fresh produce."The US has fought for years to gain access to Canada's dairy market, however, it continues to violate the USMCA [agreement] and the spirit of its dairy commitments," Tenney stated at the hearing.The USMCA panel agreed Canada had violated the trade agreement back in 2022 by restricting US dairy from entering the country..Canada had been breaching its commitment to US dairy farmers by reserving more Dairy Tariff-Rate Quotas (TRQs) exclusively for Canadian processors.TRQs were meant to balance domestic protection with trade agreements — but in this case, they were only benefiting Canadian producers and violating a diplomatic agreement.More specifically, TRQs are being reserved to benefit large dairy farmers — according to the Food Professor, or Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, who runs an agri-food analytics lab at Dalhousie University, the way tariffs are allocated does not drive competition within Canada.While reserving these TRQs for Canadian dairy processors, the feds went against the USMCA, which promised TRQs to be given to American dairy processors. .Canada's got milk — they're just dumping it."For years, Canada has rigged their system to prevent US dairy producers from fair access to Canada's markets — this year's national trade estimate report details Canada's market manipulation and unfair treatment of US producers are still evident," Tenney pointed out.The US' National Trade Estimate Report 2026 (USNTER), states Canada's TRQ requirement criteria tends to differ for different applicants, and often fail to allow importers to fully utilize the allotted TRQ quantities.In response, Greer says they have brought this to the feds' attention "repeatedly and frequently" to no avail.In regards to the American liquor ban, which every province has in place except Alberta and Saskatchewan, Greer says they are "at the end of [their] rope.""Think about it this way — there are two countries that have retaliated economically against the United States in the last year, the People's Republic of China and Canada," Greer stated.."So that's kinda the company they're running in."He says there might have to be some sort of enforcement the US imposes on Canada in the future on wine and spirits.Reported by the Financial Post, provinces who pulled US alcohol products last year cost bourbon makers and other products millions of dollars in lost sales — including Ontario and Quebec distributors, which has 60% of Canada's population. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has stated he'll lift the ban if US tariffs are lifted off the Canadian auto sector..“I’d do it in a heartbeat folks, but when he’s destroying our auto sector, putting in jeopardy tens of thousands of jobs,” claimed Ford.What's also putting pressure on their trade relations with Canada in its restriction on imports of US bulk fresh fruits and vegetables.According to the USNTER, Canada prohibits bulk imports of this fresh produce exceeding typically 50 kg, unless Canada grants an exemption.To qualify, US importers must prove there is a domestic need in the market, and are not allowed to ship their product to Canada without a confirmed buyer lined up..These requirements are regulated under the feds' Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR).

WATCH: US trade ambassador 'at the end of our rope' over Canada's restrictions on US goods

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