Fact check: Which Canadian dairy products are protected by the 400% tariffs on US imports?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, no source explicitly identifies which specific Canadian dairy products are protected by 400% tariffs on US imports. However, the sources reveal important details about Canada's dairy tariff structure:

The Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) establishes import quotas for 14 categories of dairy products ^[1]. When US dairy imports exceed these predetermined quota thresholds, they face extremely high tariffs.

Specific tariff rates identified include:

• 245.5% for cheese and curd
• 298.5% for butter
• 241% for liquid milk ^[2]

These tariffs range from 200% to over 270%, with the maximum exceeding 250%-270% for multiple US dairy products ^{[1] [2]}. The US dairy industry receives tariff-free access to approximately 3.5% of the Canadian dairy market under CUSMA, but faces these punitive tariffs once quotas are exceeded ^[3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question assumes the existence of 400% tariffs, but the analyses show that actual maximum tariffs are in the 250%-270% range ^[2]. This represents a significant discrepancy that suggests either outdated information or conflation of different tariff rates.

The Canadian dairy industry benefits substantially from this tariff structure, as it protects domestic producers from US competition beyond the small quota allowances. The US dairy industry, conversely, faces severe restrictions on market access, limiting their ability to capitalize on proximity to Canadian consumers ^{[3] [4]}.

The analyses reveal that these tariffs are part of broader trade tensions, with mentions of Trump threatening 35% tariffs on Canadian goods and previous tariffs on Canadian lumber and dairy products ^[5]. This suggests the dairy tariff issue exists within a larger context of US-Canada trade disputes.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question contains a factual inaccuracy regarding the tariff rate. While it asks about "400% tariffs," the analyses consistently show that maximum Canadian dairy tariffs are in the 250%-270% range ^[2], not 400%. This 130-150 percentage point difference represents significant misinformation that could distort understanding of the actual trade barriers.

The question also assumes these tariffs protect Canadian dairy products, when in fact they restrict US dairy imports into Canada. The tariffs don't protect Canadian products in the US market, but rather protect the Canadian domestic market from US competition ^{[2] [3]}.

This framing could reflect bias toward portraying Canadian trade policies as more protectionist than they actually are, potentially serving the interests of those advocating for more aggressive US trade policies against Canada.