New head of national dairy commission wants review Monday, February 6, 2012 by SUSAN MANNThe dairy industry needs to review its current provincial and federal structures to speed decision making, says Jacques Laforge, the Canadian Dairy Commission’s new chief executive officer.For example, the dairy industry has been talking about forming a national pool since the 1990s, he says. Currently there are two pools – one for Western Canada and one for five eastern provinces: Ontario, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. From a decision-making standpoint, it would be simpler for the industry if there were a single pool. “It impacts everybody the same way,” says Laforge.Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced Laforge’s appointment as the commission’s chief executive officer Tuesday. The appointment is for a three-year term and is effective immediately. Laforge, the past president of Dairy Farmers of Canada, replaces retiring chief executive officer John Core.Laforge says other priorities include improving the return for producers of surplus solids-non-fat markets, such as animal feed, and pushing the development of innovative markets and products “to grow the market size.”Referring to complaints from groups such as the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association that the commission ignores their views when deciding on support prices for butter and skim milk powder, Laforge says the commission will explore their concerns and “try at least to improve the relationship.”Laforge and his wife, Patsy, operate a successful 1,000-acre mixed farm in New Brunswick. He was chair of Dairy Farmers of New Brunswick from 1995 to 2000 and chairman of the Atlantic Dairy and Forage Institute from 1997 to 2000. He has served on the board of Dairy Farmers of Canada since the 1980s and joined the executive of that organization in 1999. From 2004, to 2011, Laforge served as president. In 2011 Laforge received the Order of New Brunswick in recognition for his passion for agriculture and his work to ensure a bright future for Canadian farmers.The commission is a Crown corporation established in 1966 to coordinate federal and provincial dairy policies and create a control mechanism for stabilizing milk production and revenues. BF Want to compete? Think big, report advises food processors New CEO for Ontario organic co-op
Sheep farmers win Ontario’s Outstanding Young Farmers Wednesday, April 30, 2025 Sheep farmers and wool producers from Wallenstein, Ont. are Ontario’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2025. “It’s great to be recognized by your peers in the industry with an award like that,” Ryan Schill told Farms.com. “When we started the sheep farm, there were people questioning us... Read this article online
2025 Election Results Prompt Concern and Reflection Among Prairie Farmers Tuesday, April 29, 2025 Users on Agriville.com weigh-in on the 2025 federal election outcome As news broke on April 28 that Mark Carney’s Liberals had won the 2025 federal election, many western Canadian farmers on Agriville.com shared their reactions. The mood was largely one of disappointment, with... Read this article online
Support IPM With a Bench Sponsorship Tuesday, April 29, 2025 The International Plowing Match & Rural Expo (IPM) Local Committee has launched the Bench Sponsorship Project for the upcoming 2025 event in West Niagara. This initiative invites individuals and businesses to sponsor commemorative benches for $500 each, helping enhance the visitor... Read this article online
New board members for Ontario Pork Friday, April 25, 2025 Ontario Pork, an association representing the 1,898 pork farms that market 5.9 million hogs in the province, has announced its new board lineup for 2025. As a Guelph, Ontario-headquartered organization, Ontario Pork is engaged in the areas of research, government representation,... Read this article online
A Chicken’s Dream: The Perfect Home for Our Feathery Friends! Friday, April 25, 2025 BY: Zahra Sadiq Do you raise chickens on your farm for personal, friends and family use? Don’t you think your feathery friends deserve to live in style? If so, look no further, Roost & Root have plenty of chicken coop models to choose from that you and your chickens will... Read this article online