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It is, so to speak, one of Canadian politics’ most sacred cows, contributing just days ago to a major rift in the Conservative party.

But at the suddenly accelerated NAFTA talks in Washington, Canada’s supply–management system for dairy products will have to be on the table if Canada hopes to get a deal with the United States, some experts say.

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The system itself is not likely to be sacrificed, though scrapping supply management remains an official demand of American negotiators.

But Canada will probably end up letting more U.S. milk products into the country one way or another, analysts say, and there is recent precedent for doing just that.

Canada gave up additional access to dairy exporters in free–trade agreements with Europe and Pacific-rim countries, and the U.S. has already asked for even more of a foothold than those nations won.

“We’re going to have to make some concessions,” said Sylvain Charlebois, a professor of food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University.