The Milk Producer - August 2009 - (Page 8)

DAIRYUPDATE Decision awaited Appeal of Ontario’s harmonized quota policies probably will be heard this fall n appeal of the Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) harmonized quota policies probably won’t be heard until this fall. At our press time late July, it was still unknown whether DFO was able to implement the new policies as planned Aug. 1, or whether the August quota exchange would be cancelled. Ontario dairy producers have been urged to check information sources such as DFO’s website (www.milk.org) and the IVR telephone system for updates on the case. DFO has also sent out special information letters to all producers. On June 23, the Ontario Quota Rights Organization (OQRO), represented by lawyer Donald Good, requested DFO’s board to reconsider implementing the harmonized quota policies. The board denied the request. The policies were developed over the past year after numerous consultations with Ontario producers and DFO’s four provincial partners in the P5 pool. Key aspects include capping quota prices, introducing a new entrant assistance program, and ending the transfer assessment and paywhat-you-bid policies. For the purposes of the hearing before DFO’s board, the OQRO consisted of 75 members, made up of 34 former producers and 41 active milk producers. The OQRO, together with Doyle Harrigan, Jacques Lamarche and Jean-Marie Menard, subsequently filed an appeal with the Ontario Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal. They are asking the 8 | August 2009 | MilkPRODUCER A “DFO has invested considerable time and energy into developing the new policies at both the provincial and the P5 level and continues to believe that these policies are in the best interests of Ontario producers and represent a substantially positive direction within the P5 structure.” Bill Emmott, DFO chair tribunal to declare DFO’s harmonized quota policies null and void. The appeal triggered an automatic “stay” that would keep DFO’s former quota policies in effect. DFO released a statement saying it believes that there is no need for a stay on all the new quota policies, and that to the extent a stay is in effect, it should be limited to the 41 What is the Ontario appeal tribunal? The Ontario Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal is an independent, quasi-judicial appeal body set up to hear appeals concerning matters in the agriculture and food industry. Members of the tribunal are appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council. They represent varied geographical areas in Ontario and have backgrounds and expertise relating to agricultural production, processing, marketing and consumer interests. The tribunal usually sits in panels of three. Among its functions, the tribunal provides an impartial appeal body available to any person who feels aggrieved by decisions of marketing boards, the Farm Products Marketing Commission or a director appointed under the Farm Products Marketing Act or the Milk Act. (For example, decisions and policies relating to: quota allocations; pricing or requests for exemption from marketing board policies; penalties imposed by a marketing board.) Source: www.omafra.gov.on.ca http://www.milk.org http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca

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