(NAFB.com) – National Farmers Union President Rob Larew discussed the ongoing trade dispute between the U.S. and Canada and its impact on dairy farmers. He says policymakers are focused on U.S. trade policy without solving the underlying problems in the dairy industry. “Those challenges include corporate consolidation and continued overproduction,” Larew said. “Broad dairy tariffs don’t solve these problems; they destabilize the industry, drive up costs, and create more uncertainty for American dairy farmers, processors, and rural communities.” The number of U.S. dairy farms has plummeted by 84 percent since 1992, and tariffs only add to the uncertainty, making it even harder for family farmers to stay in business. “Canada’s dairy system operates differently, but rather than undermining a system that ensures fair prices for farmers, we should be advancing policies that guarantee U.S. dairy farmers receive a fair price for their milk,” Larew added. “Family farmers always feel the tariff impact first.”