Prof. Bruce Moorhead recently told a meeting of the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario that Canadians can't really compete for dairy export markets.
If we insist on maintaining supply management, he's right, but not for the reasons he cited.
If there were no quota restrictions on production for dairy product exports, he's wrong.
Canada has a well-earned reputation for some high-quality dairy products, such as cheddar cheeses and butter.
And we could be seasonally producing milk at as low a cost as New Zealand - in the Peace River region of Alberta and British Columbia.
This is an area where alfalfa and clovers thrive. There is virtually no winterkill. That's why it is a huge producer and exporter of alfalfa and clover seed.
So dairy herds could be pastured on forages during the growing season and hay could be harvested to feed during the rest of the year.
The cows could be dried off when they come off of pasture, so they would require only a maintenance ration.
The milk could be processed into our famous cheddar cheeses and butter, both of which store well and can be transported long distances to export markets.
Canada could compete. We just don't want to.
