The dairy goat industry could have its own marketing board next year
Ontario’s dairy goat industry could have its own marketing board.
If approved, the marketing board would focus on four pillars, said Lindsay Dykeman, general manager of the Ontario Dairy Goat Co-operative.
“Those pillars are advocacy, business risk management, research and education, and consumer awareness,” she told Farms.com. “So similar to groups like Ontario Sheep Farmers or Beef Farmers of Ontario, who advocate for the industry as a whole.”
Ontario is the centre of Canada’s dairy goat industry.
The province is home to 198 Grade A farms authorized to produce and sell milk and other products for human consumption.
In 2024, Ontario produced about 60 million litres of goat milk, which accounts for about 90 per cent of all Canadian goat milk.
Having a local marketing board would help the industry have a stronger voice in the province.
“We operate in a strange environment,” Dykeman said. “We are a supply management commodity but (dairy goat milk) is not supply managed.”
The marketing board itself, called Dairy Goat Farmers of Ontario (DGFO), would have an eight-member board with a focus on regional representation.
The members will elect a chair and two vice chairs amongst themselves.
Board members will serve three-year terms but no more than four consecutive terms.
Terms will be staggered so at least 1/3 of the board is elected each year.
And the board will attend 10 meetings (two in-person, eight virtually) per year.
In addition, the DGFO will implement a licence fee.
“A licence fee assessed on a per litre basis provides a fair and transparent means to support the organization’s core activities,” the board’s website says. “By linking the fee to production, each farm’s contribution reflects its scale and success, enabling DGFO to deliver meaningful value for all members while upholding the highest standards for Ontario goat milk.”
Industry stakeholders submitted a marketing board proposal to the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission, which the commission approved.
The proposal is now in the expression of opinion vote stage.
“Right now, we’re in the middle of doing producer consultations across the province,” Dykeman said. “We’ve had two so far and have another four lined up in December, with the vote scheduled to take place in early 2026.”
Affected farmers should have received consultation schedules and other documents.
Anyone who needs them can email Dykeman.
The marketing commission is responsible for the vote independent of the organization.
Producers will receive a copy of the ballot in the mail, which is returned directly to the commission.
“Generally, the commission will interpret the vote as being positive when 66% or more of the producers casting valid ballots vote in favour of the question (or) 50% or more of the cumulative production of the producers casting valid ballots vote in favour of the question,” the commission’s website says.