Thursday, November 16, 2017

Milk regulations passed

The Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission has amended a number of milk-industry regulations.

Milk quality standards and testing protocols, which are enforced on behalf of the government by Dairy Farmers of Ontario, are amended to merge with counterparts in
Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

The amendments include:

•Changing the method for calculating when bacterial content, somatic cell count and abnormal freezing point will result in a penalty and

•Instituting a warning, rather than a penalty, for the first freezing-point problem in a 12 month period.

Animal Care and Welfare regulations have been adopted, at the request of Dairy Farmers of Ontario, so care and handling can be checked as part of the on-farm inspection program. Proposed requirements include:

•A prohibition on tail docking unless it is medically necessary as determined by a veterinarian;

•Requirements related to the location and disposal of dead farm animals;
•Requirements that cattle must be:

- stabled or milked in premises that are designed in a manner that does not cause injury or lameness;

- provided a ration, including water, that maintains health and vigour;

- identified for traceability and herd management purposes; and

- provided with hoof care to ensure hooves are maintained in good condition.

The proposed amendments would allow DFO's Director of Regulatory Compliance to require a producer to obtain a written assessment from a veterinarian regarding animal care and welfare and to follow the recommendations from that veterinarian.

The dairy board asked for, and got, a number of other changes to Regulation 761 including:

•Setting out milk cooling requirements for second and subsequent millings;

•Rejection of milk by bulk tank milk graders where milk cannot be properly graded by sight and smell;

•Removing the requirement that time temperature recorders display the time and date during power interruptions; and,

•Clarifying that milk is marketed once transfer to the tank-truck has started.


Amendments to sections related to cow milk will result in a number of consequential amendments related to goat milk. 

“The amendments would be consistent with current industry norms, and provide standards for bacteria, SCC and abnormal freezing point for goat milk,” the commission says.

 “The amendments regarding the rejection of milk where it cannot be properly graded, blend temperatures and clarifying when milk is considered marketed will also apply to the goat sector to ensure consistent parameters and outcomes for both species.”