The Milk Producer - August 2009 - (Page 4)

EDITOR’SNOTES By Bill Dimmick Internet comes of age E-mails and websites have earned their place as effective communications tools H ad it not been for the Internet, most of the world would probably never have known about the political upheaval and civil unrest that shook Iran in the wake of its recent national election. An entertainment information website first broke the news Michael Jackson had died. These two incidents have shown how the Internet has come of age the last few years as an invaluable tool for communicating information. If you have limited interest in foreign politics or don’t care about the latest celebrity gossip, you can still use the Internet to learn about important dairy policy issue developments that can directly affect your farm business. As I write this, I have no inkling about how the legal proceedings surrounding Ontario’s new harmonized quota policies will turn out. However, you’ll be reading this column in August when it is expected we’ll have a much clearer picture. Part of those proceedings involved answering the question of whether the Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) August quota exchange would go ahead. DFO sent all Ontario producers a letter in July detailing the situation. After the letter went out, staff posted developments in the case on DFO’s website shortly after they occurred. I was well aware as we finished up this issue of the magazine that our story on harmonized quota policies would be outdated by the time it reached your mailboxes. Given the limitations of print media, THE MILK PRODUCER is published monthly by Dairy Farmers of Ontario 6780 Campobello Road, Mississauga, Ontario, L5N 2L8 EDITOR: Bill Dimmick ASSISTANT EDITOR: Sharon Laidlaw Co-ordinated by Communications and Planning Division, Bill Mitchell, Assistant Director. Change of address notices should be sent to: THE MILK PRODUCER 6780 Campobello Road, Mississauga, Ontario L5N 2L8. Subscription rates: $25.20 for one year, $46.20 especially magazines with their long lead times, compiling factual information as background to this case was the best we could do. You needed this information on important issues— whether policies would be implemented and a quota exchange would be cancelled—much more quickly than we could possibly deliver it. Of all the communications tools available to deliver information, the Internet is tops for immediacy. Results of our reader survey, starting on page 24, show 79 per cent of dairy farmers across Canada have Internet access. Unfortunately for many of you, old-style dial-up is your only option. Nevertheless, even dial-up would have provided you with almost-instant information, even if you did have to wait a moment or two for graphics to download. Responses to our reader survey included 10 forms with comments about the Internet. Most wanted more information available through this communication channel. However, one reader wrote how he liked to read The Milk Producer while eating breakfast. He didn’t fancy the idea of reading it off a computer screen. As someone who still prefers to read a newspaper while sipping my morning coffee, I can appreciate, and indeed endorse, that sentiment. But for late-breaking news, I routinely pull up Google on my computer. for two years and $63.00 for three years in Canada (includes GST), $36 per year in the U.S., $36 per year overseas. Single copy: $2.50. Make cheques payable to Dairy Farmers of Ontario. Canada Post Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40063866. Return postage guaranteed. Circulation: 10,000. ISSN 0030-3038. Printed in Canada. NATIONAL MARKETING MANAGER James Fitzgerald, 257 Huntingdon Avenue, Stratford, Ontario N5A 6P7. Toll-free advertisers only: 1-888-460-6212 Phone (519) 273-9369/Fax (519) 273-9289 E-mail: jfitzger@milk.org Opinions expressed herein are those of the author and/or editor and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or policies of Dairy Farmers of Ontario. Publication of advertisements does not constitute endorsement or approval by The Milk Producer or Dairy Farmers of Ontario of products or services advertised. The Milk Producer welcomes letters to the editor about magazine content. Phone: (905) 821-8970 Fax: (905) 821-3160 bdimmick@milk.org slaidlaw@milk.org Website: Go to publications at www.milk.org E-mail: 4 | August 2009 | MilkPRODUCER http://www.milk.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Milk Producer - August 2009

The Milk Producer - August 2009
Contents
Editor's Notes
DFO Chair's Message
Dairy Update
Industry Roundup
DFC Promotion
Our Readers Have Spoken
Issues Update
Research
Applied Science
Ruminations
Markets
New 'n' Noted
Back Forty

The Milk Producer - August 2009