Dairy Farmers and Producers Feel the Impact of COVID-19!

And while the problems in the livestock sector affect those who are moving cattle to be exported, it is also affecting the dairy cattle. These are cows bred for the ability to produce large quantities of milk, from which dairy products are made. As you know, Western Dairies is the largest producer of these products – and they say the sector is also taking hit. Their sales have dropped significantly and that has also left the dairy farmers with a surplus on their hands. But that isn’t the only problem on the horizon for the sector.

On the Phone: Roy Friesen, Production Manager & Farm Inspector, Western Dairies

“From the farmers side of it, it is very tough because we have already reduced the price that we pay for the milk to them and feed prices obviously for the cattle has not gone down and so that is a huge concern for them  on their side. And obviously with the drought that we are having for a second year in a row, it has really damaged their pastures and so a lot of the people, majority of it, are still grazing and so those people have really gotten affected by it so we already have – a lot of the farmers have next to no grass and so they are trying to feed bales and which then increases their cost a lot and they are not getting the same price out on their milk. So, that is the big concern that the farmers have from their side.”