A new study published in the journal Ecological Economics said it has uncovered systemic inefficiencies within Canada’s dairy supply management system that have led to a catastrophic waste worth $14.9 billion.
Researchers from institutions including Dalhousie University found that between 6.8 billion and 10 billion litres of milk were needlessly discarded on Canadian dairy farms over a 12-year period, beginning in 2012.
It said this enormous volume of tossed milk constitutes about seven percent of the total milk produced during that timeframe, signaling a profound economic and structural failure within the sector.
But the claims are a repeat of a Dalhousie University report earlier that has been debunked by dairy farmers who say the milk is not wasted, but is fed to calves and other livestock.
