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.


Committee ponders national milk production cut

Friday, January 22, 2010

© AgMedia Inc.
by SUSAN MANN

Ontario farmers’ dairy quotas won’t necessarily be cut if the Canadian Milk Supply Management Committee decides next week to reduce the national milk production target by 0.6 per cent.

At its meeting Jan. 27, the Committee will consider a recommendation to cut the target, known as market sharing quota, from February to July.

Roger Heard, chief economist with the Canadian Dairy Commission, says the national cut would translate into a 0.3 per cent reduction in quotas for each province in the P5 pool, made up of Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.

Phil Cairns, senior policy adviser with Dairy Farmers of Ontario, says “there’s no pool decision at this stage to reduce quotas at the producer level.”

The P5 quota committee reviews production trends monthly. A decision to cut each farmer’s quota depends on how production matches the province’s quota.

Cairns says currently production seems to be slacking off “and the jury is still out on whether an adjustment will be required at the producer level.”

Farmers are responding to the slightly less than one per cent quota cut Dairy Farmers implemented in Ontario on Dec. 1. In addition, “they’re adjusting to the fact that we’re reducing the maximum days of over-quota credits (to 10 days from 20 days),” he explains. That 10-day cap on over-quota credits becomes effective Feb. 1.

The Milk Supply Management Committee Secretariat, a group of provincial board staffers and provincial government officials that provides technical support to the committee, recommended cutting the national production target because butter stocks are higher than normal.  Cairns says by the end of December total industry plus Commission butter stocks were 15.1 million kilograms. The target level recommended by the Secretariat is 14 million kilograms.

As of Jan. 15, butter stocks were 17 million kilograms. If nothing is done, its forecast that between now and July butter stocks could be four to five million kilograms more than what’s required, Heard says. BF

Current Issue

August 2025

Better Farming Magazine

Farms.com Breaking News

Applications Open for Grains Innovation Fund 2026

Thursday, July 24, 2025

Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO), the province’s largest commodity organization representing 28,000 farmers, is now accepting applications for the 2026 Grains Innovation Fund. The fund offers grants up to $75,000 to support innovative projects that promote the use of Ontario’s grains such as... Read this article online

Bruce County Hosts Animal Rescue Training

Thursday, July 24, 2025

Under hot and humid July weather, firefighters from Bruce County and nearby areas gathered in Mildmay, Ontario, for special training in large animal emergency rescue. This hands-on session was organized by Equine Guelph and supported by the Bruce County Federation of Agriculture (BCFA). It... Read this article online

2026 Grains Innovation Fund is now open

Thursday, July 24, 2025

Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO), the province’s largest commodity organization representing Ontario’s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean, and wheat farmers, is now accepting applications for its . “This year marks another exciting chapter for the Grains Innovation Fund,” stated Paul... Read this article online

Provincial Ministers Discuss Farm Support and Trade

Monday, July 21, 2025

When the federal, provincial, and territorial (FPT) Ministers of Agriculture met virtually on July17to discuss plans for building a stronger, more competitive agriculture sector in Canada, a major topic was business risk management (BRM) programs. Recognizing the pressures from uncertain... Read this article online

Ontario Pork Offers Free Tasting Events to Build Brand

Monday, July 21, 2025

Ontario Pork has teamed up with Fortinos Supermarkets to bring a special treat for customers across Ontario this BBQ season. Shoppers visiting any of the 24 Fortinos stores in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) can enjoy free samples of delicious Ontario-raised pork every weekend until August... 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