Canada’s dairy industry discarded enough milk to have fed 11 per cent of the country’s population every year for more than a decade, a new study has found.
Jacques Lefebvre, CEO of Dairy Farmers of Canada, said in a statement that many of the conclusions in the study are based on “estimates” rather than “robust data.” He said milk surpluses were often linked to supply chain issues, and that the report’s findings require independent validation. The authors also acknowledge that it’s difficult to know how much to blame Canada’s dairy supply management system for overproduction, and how much can be attributed to changes in farming practices and shifts in consumer preferences.
“Enhanced farming techniques have allowed for more precise control over milk production, closely matching it with market demand and reducing excess,” they add.