Dairy farmers in Newfoundland and Labrador are buying the Agropur plant at Mount Pearl as they launch a dairy co-operative with a $10 million loan from the province.
The Newfoundland and Labrador Dairy Co-operative will be the province’s only locally owned and operated milk processor, according to founding member Crosbie Williams. He called it a direct investment in the future of the industry, and in provincial food security.
“The farmers in our province now are going to own this industry. It’s a proud moment for us, it’s a proud moment for the industry, and it’s something that’s going to go down in our time as being historic for our industry,” said Williams.
Co-op president Scott Antle said plans for the group have been in the works for at least two years, and the catalyst for officially launching the co-op is the $10-million loan from the provincial government to help it buy Central Dairies from Agropur.
