Dairy farmers have to think long term and get on with creating a national milk pool, says Dairy Farmers of Canada president Wally Smith.
“We have to get out heads around a pool,” he said at DFC’s annual policy conference, complaining negotiations so far have resembled the seemingly endless WTO trade talks.
“Nothing is getting done.”
A pool will have to recognize specific regional realities, he added.
“We need to think three, five, 10 (or) even 20 years into the future to create a long-term vision for supply management. Let’s be bold. We need to reflect on how we can improve our system.”
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Supply management has the backing of the federal and provincial governments, which recognize its importance to rural Canada, he said. However, farmers can’t afford to squander that support.
“We need to add value to the farm gate worth of milk,” said the B.C. dairy producer. “We need to find ways to enhance our economic activity.”
The organization is also taking on its critics. It has launched a new web-based program called yourmilk.ca to counter what Smith called “a campaign of misinformation” by some business columnists and economists in recent months.
“It shows it’s time for dairy farmers to bring their message to the marketplace,” said Smith. “We have to get away from being secretive. If farmers don’t start telling our story, others will and when that happens, it’s distorted, twisted and full of misinformation.
“No one talks about all the innovation in our industry or how much research and development we support or that we have adopted farm environmental plans and lead the way on animal welfare plans. Farmers have to tell their story.”
Part of that story, he said is that “we don’t control retail prices, we just get a farmer a fair return.” A dairy farmer earns 21 cents from a glass of milk, but restaurants charge 10 times that amount, while there’s only 69 cents’ worth of cheese in a pizza, he said
“Canadians are getting a very good deal,” said Smith.
Market development programs
Conference attendees also heard Pierre Lemieux, parliamentary secretary for agriculture, pledge nearly $1.3 million from the Growing Forward program for market development for dairy products and genetics systems internationally. The Canadian Livestock Genetics Association will get about $1 million of the money to participate in key shows and trade missions as well as train farmers in the production and transfer of embryos.
DFC will have more than $130,000 to develop niche markets for high-value cheese. More than half of Canadian exports of specialty cheeses go to the U.S., which imported $12 million worth in 2010.
As well, DFC announced agreement with the National Farm Animal Care Council to test a dairy animal-care assessment program that will be a model for other farm livestock Codes of Practice.
