‘Hurray for the Federal Court of Canada’
Hurray for the Federal Court of Canada which quashed Saputo Parmalat and Kraft’s challenge of Canada’s new cheese regulations. The big three cheese-makers began several years ago to substitute cheaper imported milk protein concentrates milk protein products and whey protein products for whole fluid milk in their manufacturing processes. A St. Albert cheese co-operative master cheesemaker with 40 years of experience explained how the process of converting fresh liquid milk into a powdered milk derivative has an immediate impact on taste and even small quantities of milk derivatives (greater than five per cent) can affect the taste texture and consistency of cheese compared to cheese made with fresh milk. Substitution for Canadian milk last year alone cost our dairy farmers over $250 million in surplus removal costs. Under the Canadian Agricultural Products Act and the Food and Drugs Act the federal government has the right to regulate the whole milk content of cheese manufactured or imported into Canada and sold in interprovincial or export trade. This means one-third of Canada’s cows are not out of work and when we consumers say "cheese" that’s exactly what we get — high quality tasty safe and nutritious Canadian cheese made with whole Canadian milk. Enough to make us smile.
Larry Mackillop
Nanton Alta.
