New website touts supply management's success

Friday, February 3, 2012

by SUSAN MANN

If the name of a new Dairy Farmers of Canada website sounds familiar, there’s a reason.

Launched Wednesday, yourmilk.ca is intended to dispel misinformation about Canada’s dairy industry and its successful supply management system, says the national organization’s spokesperson Therese Beaulieu.

The name of the site is deliberately similar to FreeYourMilk.ca, a website operated by one of Canada’s most vocal critics of supply management – the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association. That way, if people are searching for the association’s site they will find the industry’s site too, Beaulieu explains.

The association launched its site last fall to air concerns about the cost of dairy products and encourage consumers to petition the federal government to change dairy policies.

Dairy Farmers launched its site to respond to criticisms about the supply management system this past fall and to inform new federal government representatives elected in last year’s election. “Now we’re going ahead and being proactive and this website is part of that,” she says.

The website will be updated regularly with videos, commentaries and other content during the year. A feature of the website, “busting myths,” explains Dairy Farmers’ point of view that supply management isn’t stopping Canada from signing trade deals, or help stop foreign trade subsidies.

Beaulieu says there’s space for dairy farmers who want to write letters or blogs. BF