Dairy cows quietly graze on the Butler farm on the outskirts of Lennoxville. Photo: courtesy

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

The Canadian government has announced an investment aimed at enhancing sustainability and safety in the dairy industry. On July 22, ahead of the Dairy Farmers of Canada’s (DFC) Annual General Meeting in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, unveiled a $8.5 million funding package.

This initiative, under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership’s AgriAssurance Program, aims to support dairy farmers in adopting more sustainable practices and improving product traceability, according to a recent release. But some local farmers have their misgivings.

The investment includes two major projects. The first project, receiving up to $5 million over five years, focuses on advancing sustainability and public trust in the dairy sector. This funding will support the proAction quality assurance program, which provides a framework for high standards in environmental impact, food safety, and animal care. Through on-farm assessments, the program aims to assist farmers in making environmentally conscious decisions, such as managing greenhouse gas emissions and water use.

The second project, allocating up to $3.57 million over five years, is dedicated to enhancing DairyTrace, a national dairy cattle traceability program. The release states this program is crucial for maintaining animal health and public trust by preventing disease spread and ensuring sustainable food production. DairyTrace supports the industry’s compliance with new federal regulations on animal health and safety.

Minister MacAulay in the release emphasized the importance of the dairy industry to Canadian communities, stating, “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.” He underscored the government’s commitment to helping farmers adopt practices that lower emissions and improve product safety.

Local farmers react to federal funding

Following the federal announcement of new funding for sustainability and safety in the dairy industry, local farmers (and brothers) Karl and James Butler shared their reactions in July 29 interviews, providing a ground-level perspective on the implications of these initiatives.

When asked about the national dairy cattle traceability program, Karl mentioned that while all animals are tagged and coded to a central database, he sees the program as more of a surveillance tool. “I think it’s just a means of… more surveillance and monitoring from those… that don’t really have anything to do with [day-to-day operations]” he said. He expressed concerns that traceability could lead to more work for farmers and potentially restrict their choices, particularly regarding the administration of medications and vaccinations to animals.

Karl elaborated on his concerns, stating that traceability programs might impose regulations requiring certain medications or vaccinations before animals can be sold at larger markets. He mentioned hearing about similar issues in the United States and questioned the necessity of such strict controls. “I don’t think very highly about the traceability part of these programs. [You] need to know where your animal is from, but does it need to be centrally controlled?” he said.

Karl’s skepticism extended to the broader goals of the funding, particularly the aim of advancing sustainability and public trust in the dairy industry over five years. He expressed doubts about the feasibility of achieving these goals given the current environmental challenges, describing the initiative as “a pipe dream.”

James, who is more directly involved in managing the dairy farm, provided a more nuanced perspective. He acknowledged the growing interest in sustainability initiatives and the role of organizations like Regeneration Canada. James viewed the federal funding and the proAction program as well-intentioned efforts to improve public trust and sustainability in the dairy industry. However, he also highlighted the practical difficulties these programs could impose on farmers.

James shared his experiences with the implementation of these initiatives, noting that the additional requirements often coincide with busy farming seasons, creating significant challenges. “It feels a lot of the time like they’re just piling extra stuff on top,” he remarked, describing how sudden inspections and new regulations can disrupt essential farming activities. He cited an example from this past May when unexpected inspections interfered with his fieldwork, forcing him to adjust his plans abruptly.

James also discussed the environmental aspects of the proAction program, particularly the focus on carbon emissions and sustainability. He questioned the practicality of measuring carbon footprints on farms and expressed doubts about the overall impact of these measures.

“I’m not very optimistic about the practicality… there’s a lot of things you can’t really measure… as far as carbon goes… on farms,” he said. He mentioned that the practice of genetic carbon footprinting of bulls for artificial insemination seemed like an overreach.

Despite these concerns, James emphasized that farmers are generally willing to work with government and environmental groups to improve practices. However, he stressed the importance of consulting with farmers and considering their daily realities. “It feels like sometimes there’s not a lot of consultation going on with the actual farmers themselves,” he observed.

James mentioned the disparity between larger and smaller farms, noting that subsidies and support often favor bigger operations with the resources to handle bureaucratic demands. “If you hear of a subsidy, usually it’s a bigger guy that’s getting a subsidy for this or for that because they’ve got the bureaucracy to deal with it,” he said. He added that smaller farmers, who are more focused on day-to-day operations, often find it difficult to navigate the complexities of these programs.