CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Agriculture and Forestry Minister Mitch Murphy is pleased Canada will suspend the normal issuance of supplementary permits for the import of U.S. breaded cheese sticks.

Federal trade minister Pierre Pettigrew made the announcement with the decision effective Sept. 1.

“The federal government has a responsibility to protect the interests of the Canadian dairy industry and the integrity of our supply management system,” says Murphy. “Since the U.S. has imposed tariff-rate quota restriction on the imports of Canadian breaded cheese sticks, it seems reasonable that Canada should take similar measures in return.”

Imports of breaded cheese sticks from the U.S. are about $10 million annually, while Canadian exports of the popular appetizer totaled $3 million before the U.S. reclassified them as a cheese product in 1999, effectively halting Canadian exports.

“After the experience with export restrictions on Prince Edward Island potatoes in the last year, I am pleased that the federal government has responded in this way,” says Murphy.