Ottawa – September 22, 2018 – Canada’s dairy industry is a leading contributor to the country’s agricultural sector. Dairy farmers, processors and workers dedicate themselves to creating top grade products that feed families and communities across the country, and a throughout the world.  

Maintaining our dairy sector is crucial to protecting Canada’s food sovereignty.

The dairy sector is being targeted by the Trump administration, and hard-right politicians and pundits here at home. In a recent op-ed, UFCW Canada National President Paul Meinema called out many of these critics, and touched on some of the following facts that all Canadians need to know about a key national food resource, the dairy sector.

220,000 – the total number of jobs created by Canada’s dairy sector

$20-billion – the dairy sector’s contribution to Canada’s GDP

$4-billion (USD) – the total amount of tax payer money that the US government gives to American dairy farmers in public subsidies every year

$0 – the total amount of tax payer money that the Canadian government gives to Canadian dairy farmers in public subsidies every year

444 – total number of dairy processing plants in Canada

11,683 – total number of dairy farms in Canada

8.2 billion – total number of litres of milk shipped by Canadian dairy farmers in 2015