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Dairy Farmers of Canada

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Dairy Farmers of Canada
AbbreviationDFC
Formation1934; 90 years ago (1934)
Legal statusNon-profit
PurposeDairy farming advocacy
HeadquartersOttawa[1]
Official language
English, French
Websitedairyfarmers.ca

Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) is the national policy, lobbying, and promotional organization representing Canadian dairy producers.[2]: 6  The advocacy group was created in 1934 when a number of related groups merged to form a single entity for representing the interests of dairy farmers.[3]

Profile

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In 2024, DFC represented the interests of approximately ten thousand dairy farm owners.[4] The organization is headquartered in Ottawa, with a satellite Montreal office.[1] DFC members include dairy farmer organizations from all the Canadian provinces.[2]: 6 

Advocacy

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DFC works to influence public policies that support Canadian dairy producers and promote the health benefits of dairy products.[2]: 6 

The organization is very active and is said to have an "outsized" influence in Ottawa.[5][6][7] It is "the most deep-pocketed lobby group in Canada" with nearly $70 million in annual revenues, a very large amount for a single-sector interest group.[8] In 2023-24, there were hundreds of meetings between DFC and the Prime Minister's office, federal departments and agencies, members of parliament and senators.[8] A prominent subject discussed was Bill C-282, a bill to exempt supply-managed sectors from future trade negotiations, which would add greater import protection for the dairy sector.[8][9][10][2]

In January 2019, the federal government of Canada gave $2.7 million to the organization.[11]

Canadian dairy content labelling

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An initiative by the organization was to have products that contain 100 percent Canadian dairy products indicated by using a specific label that states "100% Canadian milk". A follow-up study investigating the impact of such a label revealed that Canadians were willing to pay more for dairy products that use 100 percent Canadian milk products, versus non-Canadian certified counterparts.[12]

The Dairy Farmers of Canada "Quality Milk" logo is used to help consumers identify products that contain 100% Canadian milk and Canadian dairy products.[13] Introduced November 1, 2016, the new logo will gradually replace the previous origin logo which was commonly known as the "Little Blue Cow".[14]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Contact Us". Dairy Farmers of Canada.
  2. ^ a b c d "Dairy Farmers of Canada's 2023-2024 Annual Report".
  3. ^ "Provincial and National Dairy Organizations". Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  4. ^ "About us". Dairy Farmers of Canada.
  5. ^ Trichur, Rita (July 8, 2022). "Dairy market protectionism exposing Ottawa's hypocrisy on free trade". The Globe and Mail.
  6. ^ Manley, John; Goldenberg, Eddie (June 18, 2024). "As grocery prices soar, the dairy lobby's supply management has got to go".
  7. ^ Charlebois, Sylvain (February 12, 2024). "Bill C-282 is an awful idea. Here's why: Bill C-282 threatens to stifle competition and impede growth in Canada's agricultural and non-agricultural industries". Canadian Grocer.
  8. ^ a b c Herman, Lawrence (October 1, 2024). "Behold dairy lobby's power, as Bloc holds Liberals hostage over supply management". The Globe and Mail.
  9. ^ Herman, Lawrence (August 20, 2023). "Supply management is a disaster, and the terrible Bill C-282 will make it worse". C.D. Howe Institute.
  10. ^ "Canada's Dairy, Poultry and Egg Farmers Welcome the Passage of Bill C-282 in the House of Commons". June 22, 2023.
  11. ^ "Federal government provides $2.7M in funding to Dairy Farmers of Canada". www.theguardian.pe.ca. The Guardian.
  12. ^ Forbes-Brown, S., Micheels, E.T. & Hobb, J.E. (2016). Consumer willingness to pay for dairy products with the 100% Canadian milk label: A discrete choice experiment. Journal of International Food and Agribusiness Marketing, 28(3), 203 – 244, DOI: 10.1080/08974438.2015.1054542
  13. ^ "Dairy Farmers of Canada unveils new logo". marketingmag.ca. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
  14. ^ "One Little Blue Cow Means A lot!". Colleen OShea's Weblog. November 1, 2008. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
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