The consequences of the pandemic are having a wide ranging effect on societies around the world. A lesser known effect is being felt by farmers here in Canada.

Dairy, egg, and poultry farmers operate under a sometimes controversial system known as supply management which regulates supply and thus maintains fairly steady prices for farmers.

The sudden arrival of the pandemic and emergency measures has resulted in massive closure or near closure of restaurants across the country drastically reducing the market for many agricultural products. After an initial spike in milk sales mostly from consumers who wanted to ensure they had supplies, that demand has levelled off while demand from suppliers to the restaurant sector has seen over a 50 per cent drop

Supply in many sectors now exceeds demand and farmers are being advised to get rid of products like excess milk, which is perishable. Potato farmers are being advised to sell their crops wherever they can as processors see demand for things like french fries have also dropped off considerably. French fries are made from process potatoes which are the bulk of the national potato crop.

The executive director of the Potato Growers of Alberta says he expects potato processers will tell farmers to seed about 25 per cent less this year of process potatoes used to make french fries and other frozen potato products

“We can’t turn the cows off”

Dairy farmers in regions across the country who have not yet had to dump milk are being advised to expect they will have to begin soon. In Ontario its estimated that five million litres will be dumped weekly. With demand down, John Walker of Walker Dairy Inc, quoted by CTV said, “We can’t turn the cows off”.

While farmers will be paid for the milk, several are disturbed by the need to dump milk.

Liz Van Loo, owner of Silktassel Farms near Owen Sound, Ontario was also upset. Quoted by Global News she said of the dumping, “It’s a lot of work producing milk. I’m sure there’s people that can use it — that was really upsetting to me.”

David Wiens, vice-president of the Dairy Farmers of Canada, a national organization for dairy producers was quoted by the CBC saying, dumping milk was, ” very, very disheartening for farmers, It goes against every grain in their body”.