Farmers search for ways to combat cross-border dairy shopping

Provincial and national dairy organizations are rolling out 
programs to convince consumers that Canadian milk and 
cheese is the better choice

Cross-border shopping is taking a bite out of Canadian dairy sales. “They go for gasoline and then end up picking other supplies up, too,” said Henry Holtmann, vice-chairman of Dairy Farmers of Manitoba. British Columbia is the epicentre for cross-border dairy sales, he said, adding it has seen approximately 10 million litres lost to American


Canadian dairy farms follow similar trends to main rivals

George Morris report says number of dairy farms has fallen by 90 per cent since the
late 1960s and the cow herd has shrunk from 3.5 million to one million today

Canada’s dairy herd, as well as the number of farms and processors, has contracted at about the same pace as its counterparts in the U.S., Australia, and Europe, says a new report from the George Morris Centre. The main difference is that Canada hasn’t increased milk production as much as other countries have, and due

Genetically engineered cow makes anti-allergy milk

Genetically engineered cow makes anti-allergy milk london / reuters / Researchers in New Zealand have genetically engineered a cow to produce milk with very little of an allergy-causing protein. The technique, called RNA interference, reduces activity of certain genes without eliminating them completely. With mothers breastfeeding less, cows’ milk is an increasing source of protein


Iowa testing milk for aflatoxin

chicago / reuters / Iowa, the No. 1 corn producer in the United States, began requiring the state’s dairy processors to test all milk received in the state for aflatoxin Aug. 31, the toxic byproduct of a mould that tends to spread in drought-stressed corn. The Iowa Department of Agriculture said the required aflatoxin screening

Ontario farmer continues dairy fight

An Ontario dairy farmer is appealing his conviction of producing, selling and distributing raw milk to the Ontario Court of Appeal. Michael Schmidt, who farms northwest of Toronto, was charged in 2006 following an undercover police sting operation into his dairy business, which supplied 150 families with raw milk. Each family had paid $300 for


The buttermilk of the issue

There are few things more refreshing on a hot summer’s day than a tall glass of cold buttermilk. It has a bracing sourness that challenges the senses, but with none of the bitter aftertaste of milk that has gone off before its due date. It is in this category we place the recent efforts of

Canadian dairy industry is a source of pride

Iam proud of Canada’s national agriculture policy for dairy — supply management. Like many rural initiatives of the past, it has deep co-operative roots that have nurtured the development of a viable, modern dairy sector in every region of Canada. It provides the degree of discipline and organization necessary for dairy farmers in the organized



Supply management is in trouble

Good news. Canada is joining talks for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which will open lucrative new trade opportunities — if we give up supply management. Or so you’d think by reading national newspapers these days. Ever since Canadian participation in the TPP talks was announced last month, columnists in the Globe and Mail and National Post