(NAFB.com) – The National Milk Producers Federation and the U.S. Dairy Export Council are asking the U.S. government to leverage all available tools if Colombia implements countervailing tariffs on U.S. milk powder exports. They made the request in a letter sent Friday to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack. Colombia’s recent decision to initiate an unwarranted Subsidies and Countervailing Measures investigation into U.S. milk powder exports is a tariff threat without merit. The dairy groups note that no causal link exists between U.S. milk powder exports and the injury alleged by Colombian officials. The letter also explains that imported milk powder products and domestically produced fluid milk are not interchangeable ingredients in a food manufacturing facility. “Initiating unfounded investigations undermines any progress and is a step backward in our trade relationship,” says Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC. “We appreciate U.S. officials for recognizing this is baseless.”