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On April 24, 2020, the United States notified Canada and Mexico of the completion of its domestic ratification procedures for the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). Canada and Mexico have already provided their notifications (on April 2 and April 3, respectively). According to the CUSMA text, which specifies that the Agreement is to enter into force on the first day of the third month following the last notification, the entry into force date would be July 1st, 2020.
With three years under our belt as a regional association, we have been working with provincial Milk Boards, with governments at all levels and with other dairy industry associations to give voice to the collective interests and views of our members. This has included active participation with, and support to, the federal government in the negotiation of the dairy-specific provisions of major international trade agreements, working with the Canadian Dairy Commission to develop and refine policy responses to a changing marketplace and pursuing industry-wide solutions to regional issues through collaboration with the Western Milk Pool. This newsletter will provide you with highlights from industry activities, news that affects dairy processors, feature articles on our members, and more. Feedback and suggestions for future topics are always welcomed by our editor, whose contact information is provided below. We plan to publish our newsletter bimonthly, so look for our next issue in July. Getting Ready for Implementation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Trade Agreement On April 2, 2020, Canada notified the United States and Mexico of the completion of its domestic ratification process with respect to the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). With this action, Canada became the first country to provide its notification under the trade agreement. Mexico followed shortly thereafter. Will British Columbia Include Milk Containers in its Plastics Strategy? British Columbia’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy completed its consultation on the proposed Plastics Action Plan at the end of September. Among the proposals British Columbians were asked to comment on, is the removal of an exemption for used milk containers from the province's deposit/refund system, as one measure to increase recycling rates. In addition, input was sought on proposals to ban certain single-use plastic products and to set minimum recycled-content requirements for plastic packaging. A formal announcement is expected this spring. Dairy Innovation WestOn November 20, 2019 the Western Milk Pool announced the creation of Dairy Innovation West (DIW), a new venture that will own a raw milk concentrating plant in Alberta. The new facility will have the capacity to accommodate up to 300 million litres per year, producing concentrated milk components for utilization throughout western Canada. DIW is owned by the four western Milk Boards and will be operated by Vitalus Nutrition Inc. For more information, click here. Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC) gets a new ChairFederal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau has named Bob Ingratta as the commission’s chairperson for a term ending Dec. 16, 2021, replacing Alistair Johnston. Mr. Ingratta worked in Ottawa for six years (2001-07) as vice-president for regulatory and international affairs with Monsanto Canada, prior to joining the BC Milk Marketing Board as CEO in 2011, where he served until 2017. Minister Bibeau also reappointed Jennifer Hayes for a three-year term as CDC commissioner. Ms. Hayes, first named as a commissioner in 2017, is a dairy and beef producer at Shigawake in Quebec’s Gaspe region and has served as the CDC’s Acting Chair since August 2019. Comprehensive Review of the Allocation and Administration of Tariff Rate Quotas for Dairy, Poultry and Egg Products – Phase IIOn May 10, 2019, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) launched the first phase of the comprehensive review of the allocation and administration of Canada’s tariff rate quotas (TRQs) for dairy, poultry and egg products. The first phase of consultations included provincial and territorial governments and covered the entire range of industry stakeholders and key trading partners, which resulted in GAC receiving approximately 200 submissions and holding over 60 meetings with stakeholders... Notice to Plan B Butter Manufacturers from the Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC) Regarding Repurchase Date of Plan B ButterOn February 12, 2019 the Canadian Dairy Commission announced that Plan B Butter manufactured on or after January 1, 2020 will retain the repurchasing rule that was applicable at the end of 2019 which allows this product to remain in CDC’s inventory for a maximum of one (1) year from the date of production of each lot. In addition, Plan B will be open for the 25 kilos butter format (up to a maximum of 1,500 tons). Companies requiring further information may contact Virginie Robert, Chief, Commercial Operations and Marketing at the CDC at (613) 222-8344. Storage Assistance for Cheese ProgramAs decided at a recent CMSMC meeting, the CDC re-established the Storage Assistance for Cheese Program. The Program Guide can be found here: Storage Assistance for Cheese January 2020.pdf Food Processing Skills Canada Labour Market Information SurveyFood Processing Skills Canada (FPSC) is a not-for-profit workforce development and skills organization specifically focused on Canada's food and beverage manufacturing industries. FPSC has launched its latest Labour Market Information survey, which will provide vital information on workforce and skills requirements in the food processing sector, including information specific to the dairy industry. We encourage you to take a few minutes to complete the survey using the following links: 2020foodprocessorsurvey.ca (English); sondage2020destransformateursdesaliments.ca (French) The results of the LMI survey will be helpful in your long-term human resources and workforce planning. MEMBER PROFILE: Foothills Creamery Foothills Creamery has been proudly making butter and ice cream products since 1969. Over its proud 50-year history, this Calgary-based family business has grown and evolved and has remained at the forefront of the latest and greatest flavours, new trends and changing demands among butter and dessert lovers of all ages. Foothills Creamery sources local cream, and proudly employs nearly 70 people... SAVE THE DATES!The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the cancellation or postponement of events and gatherings throughout the world. This is equally true of the Canadian dairy industry. We had been planning to profile several upcoming events and professional development opportunities for our members but as of now all of these events have been postponed. Please stay tuned for updates. IDF International Cheese Science & Technology Symposium – postponed until 2021 WDC 2020 Golf tournament – postponed Alberta Pasteurizer Operator Licensing course – postponed until further notice Industry Forums One of WDC’s key roles is to provide processor representation at industry forums and mandated advisory committees such as the Milk Industry Advisory Committee (MIAC) and the Specialty Production Advisory Committee (SPAC) in BC, the Dairy Advisory Committee (DAC) in Alberta and the Canadian Dairy Commission’s Processor Advisory Committee (PAC). These committees are an essential link between dairy processors and the various policymaking and regulatory authorities that govern processors’ businesses, providing opportunities to exchange information and resolve policy issues as they arise. In future editions of this newsletter, we’ll explain the work of these committees in greater detail. Mandate of the Regional Advisory CommitteesOne way to have greater input into industry affairs is to participate in Western Dairy Council’s Regional Advisory Committees. Did you know that there are three Regional Advisory Committees (RAC) within WDC? The British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba/Saskatchewan RACs meet on an ongoing basis to bring forward the perspectives and concerns of member companies within their respective jurisdictions, and to provide the Board with provincial input into regional and national issues where appropriate. If members have issues or topics they want to raise with the WDC Board, provincial Marketing Boards or the Western Milk Pool, they can go through their local RAC. To contact a specific RAC, email info@westerndairycouncil.com. Contact our editor: Sarah Cotton Communications Western Dairy Council info@westerndairycouncil.com AuthorWestern Dairy Council Members As of March 30, all four provinces in western Canada have designated the food supply and its supporting industries, including processing, "critical" or essential" in the face of the the COVID-19 crisis. The common thread in each of these actions is that businesses supporting the food supply chain are not subject to the shutdown orders or restrictions on non-essential businesses.
Details of each province's announcement can be found at: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020PSSG0020-000568 https://www.alberta.ca/essential-services.aspx https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/news-and-media/2020/march/25/allowable-business-services https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/index.html?item=47337&posted=2020-03-30 https://news.gov.mb.ca/asset_library/en/newslinks/2020/03/BG-PHA_-_COVID-19-PR.pdf Global Affairs Canada has provided an update on the Comprehensive Review of the Allocation and Administration of Tariff Rate Quotas for Dairy, Poultry and Egg Products – Phase II.
As you know, the Government launched Phase II of the Review on February 14, 2020 with a deadline for submissions from interested stakeholders of April 3, 2020. Due to the challenging period we are all facing in regards to the global COVID19 outbreak, Global Affairs Canada is extending the second phase of the consultations and deadline for stakeholder submissions to May 4, 2020. Please use this email TRQConsultation.ConsultationCT@international.gc.ca to ask any technical questions or provide any input to the consultations. The dairy industry is going green with the announcement of a new facility that will reduce the impact on the environment and bring new jobs to the province.
EDMONTON (November 20, 2019) – Today at the Alberta Milk Dairy Conference, the western provinces announced that a new dairy concentration facility, Dairy Innovation West (DIW), will be built in Alberta. DIW will be owned by the Western Milk Pool members and will be operated by Vitalus Nutrition Inc. DIW is a state-of-the-art facility which is the first of its kind in Canada. The technology will remove water from raw milk that will create concentrated components required by dairy processors to be used in a variety of dairy products. The facility will have the capacity to accommodate up to 300 million litres of milk per year. Going Green A priority of this facility is to reduce the environmental impacts of transporting milk across the four western provinces. DIW will reduce trucking emissions by 50 per cent by reducing the volume. Currently, milk moves within the western provinces to ensure the industry is meeting the needs of Canadians and that dairy processing is being utilized to its full capacity. “Instead of two trucks on the road, there would only be one,” says Alberta Milk Chairman Tom Kootstra. “Dairy farmers are always seeking more opportunities to work smarter and continue to be stewards of the land.” Additionally, DIW promises to increase jobs and boost economic contributions in Alberta. This 20-acre site is large enough for future expansion and long-term growth in the anticipation of attracting additional processors to the site. “We are very excited about this new partnership and are looking forward to getting shovels in the ground this spring,” said Henry Holtmann, chairman of the WMP. “This is good news for dairy farmers, dairy processors, and the economy in Western Canada,” he continues. Construction on the facility is set to begin in April 2020 and be completed by March 2021. The facility will be located in central Alberta near Red Deer. ### About Alberta Milk Alberta Milk is a non-profit organization that represents Alberta’s dairy producers. About the Western Milk Pool The Western Milk Pool (WMP) is an association of producers of the four western Canadian provinces through the BC Marketing Board, Alberta Milk, SaskMilk, and Dairy Farmers of Manitoba. They represent about 25 per cent of the milk produced in Canada. About Vitalus Nutrition Inc. Vitalus is a leading supplier of sophisticated, customized dairy ingredients for the world’s food, beverage and nutraceutical industries. Contact: Karlee Conway Communications Specialist Alberta Milk 780-577-3305 kconway@albertamilk.com Inaction of the Federal Government dismays the Canadian dairy processing community
September 4, 2019 (Ottawa, ON): The Dairy Processors Association of Canada (DPAC), the Conseil des Industriels Laitiers du Québec (CILQ), the Ontario Dairy Council (ODC), and the Western Dairy Council (WDC) are all disappointed with the Government of Canada’s decision to renege on its promise to compensate the dairy processing sector for the economic harm caused by the recent conclusions of negotiations for CETA, CPTPP, and CUSMA. “The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Marie-Claude Bibeau, has repeatedly and publicly stated the Government’s commitment to fully and fairly compensate Canadian dairy processors for the economic harm they continue to experience,” said Mathieu Frigon, President and Chief Executive Officer of DPAC. “It is clear now that the Government does not intend to honour that commitment.” The lack of a compensation package has left Canadian dairy processors with no clear direction when it comes to this government's plan to mitigate the negative impacts of trade agreements. “This is extremely disappointing. Dairy farmers and dairy processors were equal partners in the Mitigation Working Group established by the Minister, but only the farming sector was heard” explained Charles Langlois, Président-directeur général of CILQ. Everyone understands that a healthy dairy sector requires both thriving farmers and thriving processors. “It is unclear at this stage if this Government shares this belief” added Christina Lewis, President of the ODC. Dairy processors are committed to investing in the Canadian dairy sector to generate growth, and they have steadfastly advocated for two key tools to achieve that objective: the allocation of dairy import licenses to dairy processors and financial compensation in the form of investment incentives. “Investment is what the dairy sector clearly needs, and investment-generating government measures are what dairy processors were looking for. We are going to have to work very hard with the next government to get this right when Parliament reconvenes,” continued Dan Wong, President of the WDC. The processing community calls on the next government to correct this inaction and to deliver on the promise of full and fair compensation to Canada’s dairy processors. Dairy processing is the second largest food processing industry in Canada, contributing more than $18 billion annually to the national economy. Dairy processors directly employ 24,000 Canadians in over 470 facilities across the country, with an aggregate payroll of $1.2 billion. Dairy processors are major employers in communities across Canada, and especially in rural communities, providing good jobs to middle-class Canadians. -30- Media Contact: Dan Wong President, Western Dairy Council (604) 675-7163 info@westerndairycouncil.com The BC Dairy Historical Society seeks nominations of producers, processors, BC Dairy Pioneers, supporters of the BC Dairy industry, writers or other individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the BC Dairy Industry.  To nominate a worthy individual, submit a short summary of your nominee’s contributions to the industry. Nominations close October 4th 2019.The award will be presented at the 2019 BC Dairy Conference Gala Banquet.
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