Search
Better Farming OntarioBetter PorkBetter Farming Prairies

Better Farming Ontario Featured Articles

Better Farming Ontario magazine is published 11 times per year. After each edition is published, we share featured articles online.


2013 a key year for Canada's dairy industry say DFO officials

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

by SUSAN MANN

The current year is critical for the Canadian dairy industry, say top officials at Dairy Farmers of Ontario.

Peter Gould, general manager and CEO, says he was with DFO when Canada negotiated the North American Free Trade Agreement in the 1980s and he has “never had the same concerns that I do about the next year.”

One thing the industry continues to work on is a decision-making process overhaul at the national level. Board chair Bill Emmott says Canada’s milk supply management system needs to end up with a more effective national marketing system.

Emmott was reelected as DFO chair at a board meeting Thursday after the 1.5-day annual meeting wrapped up in Toronto.  He has served as chair since 2009 and represents dairy farmers in Brant, Haldimand, Halton, Niagara, Norfolk and Wentworth.

Ron Versteeg, who has served on the board since 2005, was elected first vice chair, while Ralph Dietrich was elected second vice chair. He represents Bruce and Grey dairy farmers and has served on the board since 2011. Versteeg represents farmers in Glengarry, Prescott, Russell and Cumberland Township in Ottawa-Carleton.   

Like Emmott, Gould touched on the overhaul of national decision-making in his address. There is a national strategic planning session in Ottawa next week, and “that could be the beginning of something critically important,” he said.

Dairy farmers and their organizations are also working to implement a plan to supply milk on demand for yogurt and selected cheeses and that “could be transformational to the industry,” Gould notes, adding there needs to be a collective recognition that for orderly marketing to function the future depends on “getting the right milk to the right plant at the right time.”

The industry has also taken a giant step and developed a mechanism to share markets nationally “and we have to make that work,” he says.

Gould says the industry must also develop the right pricing model for skim milk solids.

About the trade negotiations Canada is currently negotiating with Europe and with the Trans Pacific Partnership, Gould says the Canada-Europe one is critical. Canada will maintain its position ‘to support the integrity of orderly marketing in Canada and that outcome will set the tone for future negotiations,” he predicts. BF

Current Issue

September 2025

Better Farming Magazine

Farms.com Breaking News

Sunflower farming in Ontario

Tuesday, August 19, 2025

While Manitoba dominates sunflower production in Canada—accounting for about 90 percent of the national output (https://oggardenonline.com/where-in-canada-are-sunflowers-grown.html)—Ontario is home to a growing number of sunflower farms. These farms are often smaller in scale and... Read this article online

2025 Livestock Tax Deferral Regions Announced

Tuesday, August 19, 2025

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has published the initial list of prescribed regions eligible for the 2025 Livestock Tax Deferral provision, a key support measure for Canadian livestock producers grappling with the impacts of extreme weather. “As we continue to see the very... Read this article online

Better Soil Health Improves Rain Absorption

Monday, August 18, 2025

The OMAFA Fieldcropnews.com team recently held demonstrations regarding how soil management can greatly affect the amount of rainfall absorbed into the soil for crop use. This is especially important for corn, soybean, and wheat growers facing dry spells or intense summer storms. In early... Read this article online

Farm ponds and the trouble with algae

Monday, August 18, 2025

Farm ponds are more than just tranquil features on rural landscapes—they’re essential tools for water management, livestock care, irrigation, and biodiversity—especially in North America. They are also considered to be a key agricultural asset outside North America, especially in... Read this article online

BF logo

It's farming. And it's better.

 

a Farms.com Company

Subscriptions

Subscriber inquiries, change of address, or USA and international orders, please email: subscriptions@betterfarming.com or call 888-248-4893 x 281.


Article Ideas & Media Releases

Have a story idea or media release? If you want coverage of an ag issue, trend, or company news, please email us.

Follow us on Social Media

 

Sign up to a Farms.com Newsletter

 

DisclaimerPrivacy Policy2025 ©AgMedia Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Back To Top