Minister MacAulay announces support for Canadian dairy farmers to improve sustainability and safety

OTTAWA, ON, July 22, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, ahead of Dairy Farmers of Canada's 2024 Annual General Meeting in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced an investment of more than $8.5 million for two projects led by Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) through the AgriAssurance Program – National Industry Association Component, an initiative under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

The investment will allow DFC to improve existing producer support tools, such as the national dairy cattle traceability program, DairyTrace, and the related proAction^® quality assurance program, which provides a framework for high standards of farming.

DFC will be receiving up to $5,000,000 over five years to advance sustainability and public trust in the dairy industry, leveraging the proAction quality assurance program. The proAction program ensures Canadian dairy farms maintain high standards in terms of environmental impact, food safety, animal care, and more. Environmental stewardship is a top priority for the Government of Canada, and the on-farm assessments through proAction, and projects planned through DFC's sustainability initiatives, will assess areas such as greenhouse gas emissions, carbon sequestration, water use, and biodiversity, to help farmers make environmentally conscious decisions in their farming practices.

DFC will also be receiving up to $3,572,786 over five years to build on their existing tools and strengthen DairyTrace to help protect and enhance animal health, public trust, and sustainability. Traceability supports the sustainability and viability of the dairy industry by helping prevent the spread of disease, thereby promoting more sustainable food production and supporting new federal regulations for animal health.

Quotes

"Dairy farms are at the heart of so many communities across the country, and I know just how hard our dairy farmers work to provide us with top-quality products while caring for their animals and the environment. Today's investment is about giving Dairy Farmers of Canada the support they need to help farmers adopt sustainable practices to lower emissions, and improve the traceability and safety of dairy products."
-       The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

"Canadian dairy farmers are working hard to make their farms more sustainable. We are helping make sure they can provide some of the world's best milk, cheese and other products for future generations." 
-       The Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

"DFC welcomes these AAFC investments which will help the Canadian dairy industry find long-term success in safety and sustainability. These programs go hand in hand: improved traceability protects against and prevents disease spread, supporting the viability of our nation's dairy farms. This results in less waste and a more sustainable food supply chain for all Canadians."
-       David Wiens, President of Dairy Farmers of Canada

Quick facts

• The Canadian dairy industry is a vital pillar of rural communities across Canada, and a key economic driver. In 2023, there were 9,443 dairy farms in Canada supporting more than 45,000 direct jobs.
• The AgriAssurance Program – National Industry Association Component, under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, provides funding to national industry associations for national-level projects to help industry develop, verify and integrate assurance systems to address market and regulatory requirements and to enable industry to make credible, meaningful and verifiable claims about the health, safety and quality of Canadian agriculture products.
• The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a $3.5-billion, 5-year agreement (April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2028), between the federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen the competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of Canada's agriculture, agri‐food and agri‐based products sector.
• Dairy Farmers of Canada is the national policy, advocacy and promotional organization representing Canadian dairy producers. Dairy Farmers of Canada seeks to maintain policies that promote the sustainability of Canadian dairy production and promote dairy products and their health benefits. Dairy farmers have set a goal of net-zero emissions from farm-level dairy production by 2050.

Associated links

• AgriAssurance Program – National Industry Association Component
• Dairy Farmers of Canada

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SOURCE Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Contacts: For Media: Annie Cullinan, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, [email protected]; Media Relations, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, 613-773-7972, 1-866-345-7972, [email protected]