DFO CHAIR’S MESSAGE
By Ralph Dietrich
WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER
TO ENSURE INDUSTRY BENEFITS
A
s I write this month’s chair’s address,
Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s (DFO)
board has just approved the pricing
regulation for Class 6 milk ingredients. This
decision effectively implements the Ontario
ingredients program, which started on April 1,
2016. It was an historic and important decision
the board took very seriously.
DFO is working with processors to transition to the new environment. The Canadian dairy industry is in a unique position.
The interests of producers are of utmost
importance to DFO. At the same time,
DFO understands it plays a pivotal role
in the entire industry and must consider
what makes sense, as well as what works
for its customers and industry partners to
ensure a viable and growing dairy sector.
The status quo was not an option. The
industry needed to figure out a solution
that could anticipate and embrace the fu-
ture needs of the industry. The board’s primary objective is to create an environment
for investing in an ingredient infrastructure to meet the market demand for butterfat. Another objective is to figure out
how to stop selling millions of kilograms
of skim milk for animal feed.
There has always been, and continues
to be, a preference for a national solution.
However, in the absence of a national
agreement (as of yet), DFO has moved
ahead because it acted within provincial
authority.
In fact, Dairy Farmers of Manitoba
(DFM) has announced it is adopting Ontario’s program with a planned Aug. 1,
2016 implementation. Manitoba is living
the future Ontario producers don’t want.
DFM is unable to issue the quota producers are entitled to, and is challenged with
finding a home for a significant portion
of the milk produced in the province daily. The solution is an ingredient class and
competitive pricing for skim solids. DFO
hopes more provinces join Ontario and
Manitoba soon.
This is not just about dairy farmers or
dairy processors. We, dairy industry stakeholders, are in this together and we’ll have
to help each other make it work.
Ralph Dietrich, Chair
Dairy Farmers of Ontario
April 4, 2016
NOUS SOMMES TOUS CONCERNÉS
PAR LA RÉUSSITE DE CETTE INDUSTRIE
A
lors que je rédige de message, le
conseil d’administration du Dairy
Farmers of Ontario