Beyond Factory Farming Coalition

Family Farms Not Factory Farms

Overview of ILO issues in Québec

Livestock

Dairy

Agriculture in Quebec is dominated by the dairy industry. There are nearly 8,000 dairy farms in the province (with an average of 55 head) that produce 3 billion litres of milk/yr, making up for over 30% of total agricultural production. While the numbers are high, this is in sharp decline from previous years (14,043 in 1990/91). This downward spiraling trend is due largely to the fact that as farmers are encouraged to industrialize, small scale producers are unable to access government subsidies to keep up their farming endeavours.

The province faces similar challenges to the rest of the country when it comes to new entrants into the industry. Most dairy farmers in the province are aging, and there is not nearly enough interest from younger generations – a fact that is compounded by high quota prices (>$30,ooo/ head).

These maps illustrate the concentration of cattle throughout the province:

  • Concentration of Dairy Cattle: Quebec and Canada This map illustrates the number of cattle per km2. Note that Quebec has the largest of concentration of dairy cattle in the country. Through most of the province, there is upwards of 16-30 dairy cows per square kilometer of farm land.
  • Bovine Concentration along Saint Laurence River The largest bovine (beef or dairy cattle) concentration is along the southern part of the Saint Laurence River between Quebec, Sherbrooke and Montreal.

Although dairy throughout the country is based on a system of supply management , there are loop-holes that pose a threat to local producers. Currently, the replacement of Canadian produced milk and cream for imported "milk protein concentrates" from heavily subsidized countries in the European Union is increasing. As a result, producers have been losing market shares, already they have lost upwards of 50% of the ice-cream market because manufacturers seem to favour the cheaper concentrates.

When it comes to the processing of dairy in the province, 3 large companies control 80% of milk processing.

Organic Dairy in Quebec

Along with Ontario, Quebec is a leader when it comes to organic dairy. In 2004 there were 59 farms producing over 18 million litres of organic milk for sale throughout the country.

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