Reading Time: < 1 minute Dairy farmers not only saw more demand for their production in 2017 but enjoyed lower feed costs, says the latest provincial report on the economics of milk production. The cost of producing milk in Alberta decreased by five per cent in 2017 compared to 2016, said research analyst Pauline Van Biert. “The total cost for […] Read more

The cost of feed was a plus for dairy producers one year ago

Babybel cheesemakers to set up Quebec plant
The makers of those little individual cheese snacks in the red wax shells plan to start producing them at their own new Canadian plant starting in early 2020. France’s Bel Group, whose brands in Canada include The Laughing Cow, Boursin and the aforementioned Mini Babybel, announced Thursday it will put up $87 million to build […] Read more

Saputo urges end to contentious Class 7 system
Winnipeg | Reuters –– Saputo, one of Canada’s largest dairies, supports ending a domestic milk ingredient pricing system that has angered the United States, CEO Lino Saputo Jr. said on Monday, showing a rare crack in solidarity among processors and the country’s dairy farmers. The Class 7 pricing agreement, struck in 2016 between Canadian dairy […] Read more

Mexico hits back on U.S. steel, slaps tariffs on pork, bourbon
Mexico City | Reuters — Mexico responded in kind to U.S. President Donald Trump’s metals tariffs by imposing its own duties on U.S. steel on Tuesday, while also targeting politically sensitive agricultural products from pork to bourbon. Mexico’s peso tumbled to its weakest level since February 2017, leading losses among major currencies due to the […] Read more
Gay Lea Foods purchases Alberta Cheese Company
Reading Time: < 1 minute Gay Lea Foods Co-operative has purchased Calgary’s Alberta Cheese Company. Alberta Cheese was founded by master cheese maker Frank Talarico in 1976 and has remained in the Talarico family for the past 40 years. It makes traditional Italian cheeses under the popular Franco’s and Sorrento brands, as well as the importation and distribution of cheese […] Read more

Dairy co-op Gay Lea buys Calgary cheesemaker
Ontario dairy farmer co-operative Gay Lea Foods’ plans for expansion into Western Canada now include Calgary cheesemaker Alberta Cheese Company. Gay Lea announced Monday it has bought the family-owned processor, effective Friday (Oct. 13), for an undisclosed sum. Set up in 1976 by cheesemaker Frank Talarico, Alberta Cheese makes “traditional” Italian cheeses for sale under […] Read more

Greig: Dairy sector gets funds for technology, less import control than hoped
Over 17,000 tonnes of European cheese to be allowed tariff free under CETA
The Canadian dairy sector got good and bad news yesterday. The federal government announced the long-awaited details of its promised investment program for the dairy sector after it gave up a portion of domestic cheese market in free trade negotiations with Europe. Dairy farms in Canada will be eligible for up to $250,000 per farm […] Read more

Ontario processor fined for faux-kosher cheese
An Ontario food processing company has been slapped with $25,000 in fines for labelling non-kosher cheese as kosher, in the first Canadian case of its kind to get to a provincial court. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Wednesday reported Creation Foods Co. of Woodbridge had pled guilty June 22 in the Ontario Court of […] Read more

EU, Canada sign free trade deal but battle not over
Brussels | Reuters –– The European Union and Canada signed a free trade agreement on Sunday that aims to generate jobs and growth though it must still clear some 40 national and regional parliaments in Europe in the coming years to enter fully into force. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signed the treaty along with […] Read more

Dairy support price gets second bump of year
Facing depressed world prices for milk, Canada’s dairy farmers can expect a boost of about 2.76 per cent in their overall revenue from industrial milk sales starting Sept. 1. The Canadian Dairy Commission on Friday announced an unusual second increase this year in the support prices it sets for butter ($8.0062 per kilogram, up from […] Read more