Improving dairy practices and standards through investment

 

Staff Writer

Farms.com

 

Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) can continue to uphold its reputation for responsibly and sustainably produced dairy products, thanks to an investment in the sector of up to $2.7 million.

 

Lawrence MacAulay, minister of agriculture and agri-food, and Francis Drouin, member of parliament for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, made the investment announcement at Ferme Geranik in St. Albert on Monday, said a same-day Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada release. The investment will help DFC “enhance public trust in dairy production through the continuation and implementation of their quality assurance program, proAction, as well as the pursuit of an industry environmental sustainability strategy,” the release said.

 

“Our Government is pleased to support Canada’s dairy farmers in their efforts to demonstrate that their products meet the highest standards for quality and safety, and are produced responsibly and sustainably,” MacAulay said in the release. “Building consumer confidence and trust helps ensure the growth and sustainability of Canada’s dairy sector.”

 

“Dairy farmers are a vital part of our communities,” added Drouin. “These investments will benefit our local farmers and enhance our reputation for high quality and sustainability.”

 

DFC’s proAction program enables dairy farmers to responsibly engage in animal and environmental stewardship to provide consumers with nutritious, high-quality, and safe food. The investment will allow DFC to build on its proAction initiative, continue engagement with key stakeholders, develop a strategy for environmental sustainability, and compose a plan to carry out communication with consumers regarding DFC’s sustainability and quality assurance efforts. 

 

Canadian dairy producers are committed to the highest standards in sustainable production, Pierre Lampron, DFC president, said in the release. 

 

“As such, our proAction program has been instrumental in demonstrating farmers’ responsible stewardship in producing milk that is of the highest quality. 

 

“This funding will allow for ongoing improvement of proAction and will ensure that the industry meets the expectations of consumers for decades to come,” Lampron said.