BTMG profile

HEIFER JOEL JUG O JUICE was bred at Lone Pine Jerseys in Didsbury, Alta., and was bought by Misty Meadow Dairy. In 2021, Lone Pine Jerseys was given the Jersey Canada Master Breeder Award.

A passion for Jersey cows and dairy farming,

cont’d from page 8

Haeni says they use chopped canola straw in their barn as bedding. While it can be a bit dusty, it’s readily available, and also, “bacteria don’t grow as well on canola straw as it does on other straw. We really like it and the cows like it, too.”

Haeni feels it’s not only important for farmers to take good care of their herd and land, but also to share how they’re doing that with the general public.

“We just have to make sure we appeal to the consumer, (making sure they) know we do a good job, and we deliver the best and healthiest products. Hopefully, that will make sure we’ve got people who still want to eat and drink our products,” he says. “Agriculture is a passion for our family. We hope in the future, we’re going to be strong advocates for agriculture here and for generations to come.”

FROM FARM TO PLANT: OXFORD MILKWAY TRANSPORT CO-OPERATIVE DELIVERS

It takes dedicated teamwork to operate Ontario’s largest milk transporter

By Tamara Botting CONTRIBUTOR

Dairy farmers could have the healthiest herd producing the best milk, but all their hard work would be lost if it wasn’t for the tireless dedication of the transporters driving the shipments of milk to the plant for processing so it can then go out to consumers.

“There’s quite a bit to the transportation side,” says Jim Knudsen, chief executive officer and general manager of Oxford Milkway Transport Co-operative, group of companies that includes Stotesbury Transfer and James Dale Milk Transport.

Knudsen says the biggest strength of the organization—which is the province’s largest milk transporter—is its team of employees, about 100 people strong in total.

“The employees are very dedicated because a lot of them are from the country and they know the milk needs to be picked up every day,” he says.

OXFORD MILKWAY Transport Co-operative drivers are on the road throughout the year, picking up milk from producers and delivering it for processing. The co-operative has an on-site garage at its Woodstock, Ont., facility to look after maintenance and upkeep on the trucks.

From the farm to plant: Oxford Milkway

Transport Co-operative gets it there, cont’d from page 10

Dairy farmers know all too well the cows don’t care if it’s a national holiday or the weekend—they still need to be milked. Since the milk needs to be shipped quickly, transporters must work around the clock just like farmers do.

“Our trucks run 365 days a year,” Knudsen says. It works out to about 50 drivers on the road each day, moving about 1.7 million litres of milk.

Since they’re hauling a perishable product for human consumption, the drivers not only have to work efficiently, but they need to have an eye for quality every time. Knudsen says all drivers must complete the bulk tank milk graders’ course.

“They are the first ones to actually grade the milk. That is an extra responsibility you don’t find in a lot of other truck driving jobs,” he says. “It’s an important responsibility to make sure they grade the milk well when they pick it up.”

This extra training requirement makes it even harder to find drivers in an already relatively small pool of potential employees, Knudsen says.

“It seems we’re always one or two drivers short,” he says. The trucking industry has been having a hard time lately getting fresh blood in as older drivers retire, as well as gaining enough years of experience so they will be able to qualify under tightening insurance restrictions.

Still, Knudsen says, for those who do find their niche in milk transporting, the job has a lot of benefits—chief among them, “It’s very

JIM KNUDSEN is the chief executive officer and general manager of Oxford Milkway Transport Co-operative, the province’s largest milk transporter. In 2014, the co-operative celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Photo courtesy of Tamara Botting

consistent. We’ve never had any layoffs.”

It’s an industry Knudsen himself knows well, having been at the co-op for more than 40 years. He started driving trucks after seeing the milk transporters’ regular visits to his family’s farm. It was a way to combine his agricultural roots with his enjoyment of driving.

“You get a little bit of both worlds—you pick up in the country and you deliver into the city,” he says.

At 66 years old, Knudsen is hoping to retire in the next year or two, or at least step back a bit in his role to make room for his successor.

When that happens, Knudsen knows the co-op will be in good hands—not only with the team of employees already in place, but also with the board of directors, all of whom are active milk producers—a requirement for membership in the co-op.

“We feel it makes for a stronger co-op if they’re all active producers,” he says.

Tamara Botting

is an author and award-winning journalist.

LACTALIS CANADA RECEIVES CANADIAN GROCER IMPACT AWARD

Lactalis Canada, the Canadian dairy leader behind iconic brands, such as Cracker Barrel, Black Diamond, Balderson, Astro and Lactantia, has won the first-ever 2021 Canadian Grocer Impact Award in the sustainability category for its wastewater modernization project at its Winchester, Ont., plant.

The multimillion, four-year project completed in 2020 has contributed to odour and noise mitigation, 35 per cent reduced electricity consumption and an enhanced wastewater treatment process at the plant. The project serves as a model for how Lactalis plans to improve wastewater quality in plants and communities, both in Canada and globally.

“Our purpose at Lactalis Canada is to enrich and nurture the lives of Canadians, and integral to this is our responsibility to lay the framework for a sustainable and prosperous future in the communities we operate in,” says Mark Taylor, president and chief executive officer of Lactalis Canada. “Lactalis Canada is honoured to receive the inaugural Canadian Grocer Impact Award for sustainability, which demonstrates our leadership and commitment to building a sustainable future and underscores the importance we, as an industry, must place on responsible and sustainable business practices for our collective success.”

This recognition further highlights Lactalis Canada’s corporate responsibility commitment to being a responsible business that has a positive impact on the well-being of the communities and the planet through its various activities.

The Canadian Grocer Impact Awards recognize initiatives introduced by retailers, suppliers and solution providers that are making a meaningful difference in a range of areas from helping the planet to supporting employees and communities. The award categories include sustainability, diversity, equity and inclusion, supporting employees and community service.

To learn more about the Canadian Grocer Impact Awards, visit https://canadiangrocer.com/2021-impact-award-winners-sustainability.

INNOVATIVE COLLABORATION WITH LEADING ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

By Dairy Farmers of Canada CONTRIBUTOR

Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) has unveiled new partnerships with leading environmental organizations to promote and advance sustainability in the dairy sector and beyond. In collaboration with forward-thinking Canadian organizations, including Tree Canada, Cleanfarms and Ducks Unlimited Canada, DFC is further solidifying the sector’s long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship and responsible farming practices.

“DFC and our farmers are committed to finding innovative new ways to foster sustainability in dairy farming,” says Pierre Lampron, DFC’s president. “We are excited to work with these exceptional organizations to improve farming productivity, reduce waste and manage resources responsibly to the benefit of all Canadians.”

DFC highlights these unique partnerships and its efforts to reduce the environmental impact of dairy farming through a new marketing campaign called Here for Tomorrow, which launched in October and will run until the end of November. By sharing real stories of projects already underway on Canadian farms, the campaign helps shed light on the sector’s work toward a more sustainable tomorrow.

Some of these stories include Mary Ann Doré’s family farm in Ontario where she’s working to conserve wetlands with DFC’s partners at Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).

“Ducks Unlimited Canada has made a commitment to support sustainable farming practices across the country,” says Larry Kaumeyer, DUC’s chief executive officer (CEO). “We are proud to partner with Canadian dairy farmers to enhance on-farm biodiversity while also providing environmental benefits to the local community.”

This new partnership will positively impact the sustainability of working landscapes, he adds, while protecting Canada’s essential wetland and grassland habitats.

On Holger Schwichtenberg’s dairy farm in British Columbia, his family has been furthering biodiversity by planting trees with support from Tree Canada. The organization is dedicated to improving the lives of Canadians by planting and nurturing trees, says Danielle St-Aubin, Tree Canada’s CEO.

“We applaud Dairy Farmers of Canada for its commitment to reduce its environmental impact and promote and advance sustainability in the dairy sector,” she says. “We look forward to our partnership and growing better places to live together.”

In Quebec, Christian Kaiser’s family farm is reducing plastic waste through innovative recycling programs with Cleanfarms.

“Dairy farmers have been long-time supporters of Cleanfarms programs that reduce the amount of used agricultural plastic sent to landfills when it’s no longer needed,” says Barry Friesen, Cleanfarms’ executive director. “This partnership with Dairy Farmers of Canada will help producers fulfil their commitment to sustainability by recycling even higher volumes of used ag plastics.”

Dairy farmers are setting a new standard for ag plastic recycling, and Cleanfarms is excited to be working with farmers, such as Kaiser, on this important project.

DFC’s commitment to sustainability is also featured in a separate campaign called Hey Dairy Farmer, which launched in parallel with the Here for Tomorrow platform. Producers can find both on DFC’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/c/DairyfarmersCa.

Being here for tomorrow means farming more sustainably today. DFC is dedicated to working with producers to find innovative new ways to reduce the environmental impact of dairy farming. Everyone wins through ongoing efforts to improve productivity, reduce waste and manage resources responsibly.

To learn more about DFC’s sustainability partnerships, visit dairyfarmers.ca.

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