Search
Better Farming OntarioBetter PorkBetter Farming Prairies

Better Farming Ontario Featured Articles

Better Farming Ontario magazine is published 11 times per year. After each edition is published, we share featured articles online.


Dairy producers debate quota cap

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

by SUSAN MANN

A motion to put a cap on the amount of dairy quota each Ontario licence holder can have was defeated at the Dairy Farmers of Ontario fall policy conference in Alliston last week.

Proposed by the Renfrew Dairy Producer Committee, the resolution initially called for the cap to be 250 kilograms per licence holder.

Bill Mitchell, Dairy Farmers assistant communications director, says the motion was amended to remove the number. The motion delegates defeated was that Dairy Farmers consider incorporating a cap.

There are 4,218 Ontario licences holding 268,478 kgs of quota. From 2004 to 2009 the number of licences holding more than 250 kgs increased to 2.2 per cent from 1.2 per cent. The group holding more than 250 kgs each of quota produced 13.2 per cent of the Ontario quota. “If this continues over the next five years, 4.4 per cent of the licences could produce 26.4 per cent of the quota,” it says in the conference papers.

Currently there are several farmers with more than 1,000 kgs. At that level “we would only need 268 licences in Ontario,” it says in the papers.

But the Renfrew Committee is concerned the industry is jeopardizing the support it gets from government by letting large producers continue to produce such a big portion of the province’s milk.

Mitchell says delegates in favour of the cap said it would maintain more farms. On the other side were delegates who said farmers need to have the option to choose the farm size that allows them to be efficient.

There isn’t a cap on the maximum amount of quota producers can hold. But they are required to get approval from Dairy Farmers before they exceed 150 kgs and again before exceeding each subsequent 100 kg level. The minimum amount of quota producers are required to hold is 10 kgs.

Farmers in the New Entrant Quota Assistance program must hold at least 12 kgs of their own quota at all times to be eligible to continue in that program. BF
 

Current Issue

May 2025

Better Farming Magazine

Farms.com Breaking News

New board members for Ontario Pork

Friday, April 25, 2025

Ontario Pork, an association representing the 1,898 pork farms that market 5.9 million hogs in the province, has announced its new board lineup for 2025. As a Guelph, Ontario-headquartered organization, Ontario Pork is engaged in the areas of research, government representation,... Read this article online

Sheep farmers win Ontario’s Outstanding Young Farmers

Thursday, April 24, 2025

Sheep farmers and wool producers from Wallenstein, Ont. are Ontario’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2025. “It’s great to be recognized by your peers in the industry with an award like that,” Ryan Schill told Farms.com. “When we started the sheep farm, there were people questioning us... Read this article online

Ontario ag connections in the NHL playoffs

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

The 2025 NHL playoffs are underway, and some of hockey’s biggest names got their start on an Ontario farm or have invested in agriculture since becoming professional athletes. Farms.com went through each of the 16 playoff team rosters to uncover which players have a connection to... Read this article online

New Alcohol Trade Freedom in Ontario

Thursday, April 17, 2025

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) has welcomed Ontario’s bold step in eliminating trade barriers and allowing direct alcohol sales to consumers. This new legislation aims to ease internal trade across provinces and support small businesses. One of the key changes... Read this article online

BF logo

It's farming. And it's better.

 

a Farms.com Company

Subscriptions

Subscriber inquiries, change of address, or USA and international orders, please email: subscriptions@betterfarming.com or call 888-248-4893 x 281.


Article Ideas & Media Releases

Have a story idea or media release? If you want coverage of an ag issue, trend, or company news, please email us.

Follow us on Social Media

 

Sign up to a Farms.com Newsletter

 

DisclaimerPrivacy Policy2025 ©AgMedia Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Back To Top