Reading Time: 2 minutes The Canadian Dairy Commission plans to hold the line on the support levels used to price industrial milk in Canada next year, despite a “small reduction” in the cost of milk production. The commission announced Friday it would maintain the per-kilogram support prices it sets for butter and skim milk powder at $8.0062 and $4.5302 […] Read more

Dairy support prices stand pat for 2018

Ontario to back baby formula plant
Reading Time: 2 minutes A baby formula plant proposed for eastern Ontario has got a major boost from the Ontario government. The $225 million plant is being built at Kingston by Canada Royal Milk ULC, a subsidiary of Chinese company Feihe International. The Ontario government has committed up to $24 million to the project, which will export baby formula […] Read more

Dairy services organizations create partnership
Reading Time: 3 minutes Three major service providers in Canadian dairy farming have formed a partnership that will result in one company supplying herd management and genetic services to Canadian dairy farmers. The partnership, including CanWest DHI, Valacta and the Canadian Dairy Network (CDN), still has to be approved by farmer-members of the organizations. CanWest DHI provides on-farm testing […] Read more

Saputo woos Australia farmers in Murray Goulburn rebuild
Reading Time: 2 minutes Winnipeg | Reuters — Saputo, one of Canada’s largest dairy producers, aims to return Australia’s Murray Goulburn Co-operative to profit by aggressively pursuing more of the country’s milk supply, its CEO said on Thursday. The Montreal-based company agreed last week to buy the co-operative for C$1.3 billion including debt, and has already planned 15 meetings […] Read more

Saputo to buy Australian dairy co-op Murray Goulburn
Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — Murray Goulburn Co-operative, Australia’s largest milk processor, on Friday said it agreed to a buyout from Canadian dairy company Saputo worth up to A$637.8 million (C$627.5 million). Murray Goulburn (MG) said Saputo would pay between A$1.10-$1.15 per share, compared to its A$2.10 issue price when it listed in 2015. A total buyout value […] Read more

Dairy co-op Gay Lea buys Calgary cheesemaker
Reading Time: 2 minutes Ontario dairy farmer co-operative Gay Lea Foods’ plans for expansion into Western Canada now include Calgary cheesemaker Alberta Cheese Company. Gay Lea announced Monday it has bought the family-owned processor, effective Friday (Oct. 13), for an undisclosed sum. Set up in 1976 by cheesemaker Frank Talarico, Alberta Cheese makes “traditional” Italian cheeses for sale under […] Read more

NAFTA negotiators trade barbs, agree on extension
Reading Time: 3 minutes Washington | Reuters — Trade negotiators from the U.S. and Canada accused each other of sabotaging attempts to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement on Tuesday, even as they and Mexico agreed to extend talks into 2018. A round of talks in Washington that lasted seven days failed to find the most basic common […] Read more

Butter stocks drive eastern dairy quota increase
Reading Time: < 1 minute Increasing demand for dairy products — including a need to build butter stock — has meant a one per cent increasing in saleable dairy quota, and incentive days from November to March 2018, for eastern Canadian dairy farmers. The P5 dairy farm boards, representing Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, announced […] Read more

U.S. now seeking end to supply management in NAFTA talks
Reading Time: < 1 minute Arlington, Va. | Reuters — U.S. negotiators at talks to update the North American Free Trade Agreement want Canada to dismantle its system of protections for the dairy and poultry sectors — a move Ottawa will reject, a source briefed on the matter said on Monday. The proposal is the latest in a string of […] Read more

U.S. makes NAFTA dairy proposal, no market access request
Reading Time: < 1 minute Arlington, Va. | Reuters — U.S. negotiators at talks to renew the North American Free Trade Agreement on Friday formally asked Canada to address a bilateral dispute over dairy pricing, a request the Canadians are set to resist, sources familiar with the talks said. U.S. dairy producers are unhappy that Canadian farmers this year started […] Read more