With BC being the third top producer of dairy in the nation (after Quebec and Ontario), our industry is an essential component of Canada’s economy. Industry organizations and affiliates work together at a national and provincial level to ensure the viability of the industry and to promote dairy products that are nutritious, affordable, and assured to be of the highest quality possible.  

Economic Contribution

The local dairy industry, which is operated under a controlled, quota-based system (see Supply Management below), is large enough to supply our province with fluid milk while contributing in the effort to keep Canada stocked with domestic cheese, yogurt and other processed milk products. In fact, in 2006, BC’s 600 dairy producers produced over 633 million litres of milk, and per capita consumption of fluid milk in the province was 76.47 litres in 2006. The milk is handled by one of the 48 processors in BC, which process for consumption in both the national and provincial markets. The province is home to approximately 72,000 dairy cows.

When taking into account direct employment on dairy farms and dairy processing plants, as well as the associated wholesale, retail and supply trades, the BC dairy industry provides employment for over 11,000 people. The contribution to the provincial and federal economies from this industry is estimated to be in excess of $1 billion per year.

While milk production in British Columbia is concentrated largely in the Fraser Valley, there are seven other milk-producing regions in the province, making dairy one of the most regionally diverse sectors of BC agriculture. These regions are: North and South Vancouver Island, Kamloops/Okanagan, Peace River, Kootenays, Bulkley Valley, and the Cariboo region.

Agriculture is an important component of British Columbia’s economy, and dairy production is at the top of the list, with dairy farm cash receipts just under $400 million in 2006. In fact, even though BC has just 5.6% of the national Market Share Quota (MSQ), the province contributes 8.2% of national farm cash receipts, primarily because BC dairy farms are some of the largest in the country, with an average farm size of approximately 135 milking cows. Dairy products grew 31% as a farm commodity from 1996 to 2006.

Quality

Dairy producers care about the quality of their product. That’s why the Canadian Quality Milk Program (CQM) is a priority of the BC Milk Producers Association. The program was developed by the Dairy Farmers of Canada and is recognized by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. It is an on-farm food safety program that helps producers prevent, monitor and reduce food safety risks on their farms. BC milk is already amongst the highest in quality across the country, and CQM is yet another measure towards improving the already high standards our farms employ. For more information on CQM see our Industry Initiatives section.

Environment

Environmental protection is an important issue to dairy farmers today, and BC farmers, on average, invest the highest amount in environmental protection per farm in all of Canada. As well, the natural efficiency of the dairy farm system has proven to be beneficial for the environment. Take, for example, the recycling of manure for fertilizer, or the permanent soil cover created by the forage crops that cows eat, which helps to prevent soil erosion.

Recently, the Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) was introduced to complement and enhance the current environmental stewardship practices of British Columbian producers. Some of the aims and objectives of the plan include:

• Encouraging farmers and ranchers to be better stewards of the land
• Providing a proactive process to help farmers and ranchers identify environmental opportunities and possible risks on their own land
• Managing potential conflicts between agriculture and environmental interests

For more information on EFP see our Industry Initiatives section.

Animal Health

Another important issue in dairy farming today is animal health and welfare. With such a large average herd size, BC dairy farms require an exceedingly high level of management – which results in an impeccable quality track record. The province’s Milk Industry Act requires that all farmers maintain suitable facilities for safe and clean milk production and handling, as well as adequate housing, waste handling and milking management for cattle care and comfort. The excellent management practices adopted are reflected in the province’s raw milk quality record which continues to set the bar worldwide.

Industry Structure

Underneath the Dairy Farmers of Canada, who are the national lobbying, policy, and marketing arm of the dairy industry, the BC industry is made up of three main organizations; The BC Milk Marketing Board (BCMMB), BC Milk Producers Association (BCMPA), and BC Dairy Foundation (BCDF).

• BCMMB is the regulatory organization of the dairy industry, handling transportation, quota, pricing, and quality.
• BCDF promotes milk consumption, delivers nutrition education programs, and is active in community events.
• BCMPA represents the dairy producers in the province and is responsible for lobbying, advocating, as well as communicating with industry members and affiliates.

There is also the Dairy Industry Development Council (DIDC) which is responsible for collecting producer levies and distributing them accordingly to the above-mentioned producer organizations. As well, there are a number of regional associations who, under BCMPA, represent our producers on a local level, and BC Dairy Council which represents our processors.

Supply Management

The dairy industry is one of several areas of Canadian agriculture which operates under a system of supply management. To ensure that production of Canadian food products such as milk, poultry and eggs meets the needs of consumers, supply management establishes production levels to meet demand. The supply management system is recognized by the Canadian and British Columbian governments as a proven solution to maintaining price stability and ensuring that Canada is able to meet the needs of consumers without being dependent on imported products. Supply management helps to support local agriculture without using subsidies from consumer tax dollars. Consumers benefit from having an uninterrupted supply of high quality dairy products at stable prices. For more information, see Supply Management: A Success Story under details in the Overview of Supply Management section.

A Final Word . . .

Both provincially and nationally, dairy farming makes a positive contribution to the economy and the environment. The industry supplies consumers all across the country with high quality, fairly priced, world renowned Canadian dairy products.

References

http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/stats/faststats/FastStats_2006.pdf http://www.dairyinfo.gc.ca/pdf/farmprod.pdf http://www.dairyinfo.gc.ca/pdf/bcmilkcream.pdf http://www.dairyinfo.gc.ca/pdf/dairy_cows_by_prov.pdf http://www.dairygoodness.ca/en/TradeAndIndustry/Industry/IndustryOverview/EconomicContribution.ht http://www.dairyinfo.gc.ca/pdf/publication2005.pdf