Golden Opportunity Part II ????

I wrote the previous article about 5 days ago. My delay in publishing it has allowed events to over take this article but in an even MORE timely way! I feel very strongly about this issue and see the recent events as a way to make the concerns of supply management, the same concerns the public SHOULD have.

Clever marketing people or a good PR Firm should be able to package this stuff in a way to make the media and the public sit up and take NOTICE!!!!

Don't think I'm on the right track?

Take a look at these headlines AND articles from the last few days:

Environment Hamilton starts program to support area farmers, protect Ontario's Greenbelt

Chinese workers admit lacing pet food

China arrests food managers

Food Safety at issue, local farming praised (Panel of experts stresses need for more locally grown, organic products in U.S. food supply)

Farmed Fish Fed Tainted Meal Same contaminate prompted pet food recall

120 fish farms sent contaminated feed

States Introduce Bill to Support Local Food Systems

U.S. legislators could side-swipe Canada with measures to protect food supply

U.S. puts Canada in firing line after food safety scare

Toxic Dyes and Preservatives Are Often Key Ingredients; Export Worries Widen

Nutrition Labels Not Accurate, Researcher Says

Shanghai to use mobile tests in food- safety blitz

Certainly the level of interest AND concern has gone way, way up. The story keeps on getting wider and other issues, including those important to dairy farmers, need to be connected to this widening public concern.

This week's Ontario Farmer had an another article that should be of interest to the public!

"Cheesed Off" Campaign launched against new cheese regs- Francis Anderson. The Dairy Processors Association of Canada (DPAC) is beginning a high profile battle against changes to the regs. This is just another side of the same food safety coin, as far as I am concerned. I WANT to know where it's from and what it is, if it is going into my food!

I do not believe that THIS TIME, Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC), should let sleeping dogs lie.

DFC is the organization for producers who DO market milk! Research has shown they (farmers) are considered to be MORE trust worhty than business (processors or importers). They do take principled stands (BSE). The public needs to hear their voice on this issue!

Millions of dollars in free PR could be theirs for the taking, to advance "made in Canada" labeling and 100% Canadian dairy products. I have never seen a climate so perfect to raise the spectre of 'free trade" and it's ultimate impact for farmers and the public, than this one. -CG