The Milk Producer - May 2011 - (Page 8)

PROVINCIALPERSPECTIVES By Marcel Groleau I Solidarity needed to meet current and future challenges recently had the opportunity to meet with Ontario milk the Canadian dairy industry and supply management look producers at the dairy days in eastern and western On- like in 10 years? This kind of question forced us to look tario. Their concerns are the same as ours. to the past to see into the future. However, just like econoThe first meeting took place on Feb. 16. My involvement mists, we are often better at explaining the reasons why was mainly focused on the P5 All-Milk Pooling Agree- our predictions have not come true. ment. It is hard to explain the reasons for this agreement, I believe the greatest challenge for Canadian milk producwhich dates back to 1996, without discussing the prevail- ers will be our ability to keep dairy imports from entering ing conditions when it was implemented. our borders. Since the Canadian government is responsible In the years leading up to the agreement, there had been for import controls, we have to make sure it continues to a number of national and support supply manageinternational movements. ment and effectively applies It was during those years, its principles. Although we the agreement between have made some progress Canada, the United States in this area in the past 15 and Mexico was signed, years, our efforts to conthe General Agreement on vince our governments will Tariffs and Trade became have to be ongoing. the World Trade OrganizaIn terms of milk prices tion, and several Canadian and markets, we still have provinces signed the Agreesome work to do to explain ment on Internal Trade. our strategies to producers. All of that threatened proMany do not understand vincial fluid and industrial the measures that have been Producers understand and support milk markets. The best way taken to obtain acceptable to deal with the threat was farm cash receipts while harmonization and better integration to share all milk markets satisfying as many markets and revenues among P5 as possible. As well, special of our operations in the P5. producers. classes and various promoFor two years, we have tional programs provide been striving to continue processors with attractive the work that began in prices in different markets. 1996 by harmonizing our policies. Producers understand Producer solidarity has made it possible to maintain a and support harmonization and better integration of our balance of power with buyers and public support for supoperations in the P5, but they want results. In short, they ply management. Now more than ever, this solidarity must want less politics and more action. form the cornerstone of our efforts in meeting current and The second meeting on Feb. 25 took place in Wood- future challenges. stock, located west of Toronto in a region with a lot of dairy activity. I was part of a panel that was supposed to Marcel Groleau is Fédération des producteurs de lait du Québec chair. predict the future by answering the question, what will 8 | May 2011 | MilkPRODUCER

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Milk Producer - May 2011

The Milk Producer - May 2011
Contents
Editor's Notes
DFO Chair's Message
Provincial Perspectives
Dairy Update
Farm Finance
DFC Promotion
Research
Ruminations
Applied Science
Markets
New 'N' Noted
Back Forty

The Milk Producer - May 2011