Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Farmer seeking a new milk trucker


 

Randy Van Loon, owner of Sandy Lane Farms Inc., is so angry with milk trucker Paul Legault that he never wants to have him grading and picking up milk at his farm.


He took his complaints to the Dairy Farmers of Ontario marketing board and when he wasn’t satisfied, he filed an appeal with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal.


The Tribunal dismissed some of his complaints saying it lacks jurisdiction. 


But the public hearings will continue for two other decisions Van Loon seeks – a ban on Legault grading and picking up milk at his farm and assignment of a different transporter to pick up milk at his farm.


It denied Van Loon’s request that Legault be disciplined for harassing him and said that's not a matter for the tribunal, but is between Legault and his employer. It also denied his request for compensation.


The milk board testified that it did have Paul Legault removed from picking up milk at Sandy Lane Farms, but Van Loon objects to an exception in the event of an “extreme emergency”. 


The tribunal learned that there was an undertaking in place until Jan.9 that Van Loon and his wife would not be in the milkhouse when milk was being graded and picked up and that they would stay away from the company’s offices.