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TTR regulations take effect Aug. 1 O ntario milk producers have to make sure time-temperature recorders (TTR) are installed by next month. A regulation requiring the devices to make your premises Grade A takes effect Aug. 1, and Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) will start administering it then. Approved by the Ontario government, the regulation requires you to install a TTR or TTRs to monitor bulk tanks and pipelines, or wash sinks used to clean milking equipment. The regulation details installation locations, operating details and data storage. The Dairy Cheq MilkGuard is the only TTR that meets requirements at this time. DFO rolled out TTR installations across the province more than four years ago as part of the Canadian Quality Milk (CQM) program. TTRs fulfill the program’s record-keeping requirement for bulk tank milk cooling. Once on-farm CQM validation begins, TTR records will simplify the process, explains Alex Hamilton, DFO’s policies and regulations manager. By mid-June fewer than 15 producers had not had one installed. They have been informed individually by letter that they will be inspected and subject to non-Grade A penalties after Aug. 1, he notes. Cost of a TTR installation was about $750 after grants were applied. The grant program is no longer in effect and a new installation now costs $3,000, plus Bluetooth technology, TTRs mandatory for Grade A status. Hamilton says. You also have the option of installing a used Milkguard. If your TTR hasn’t been working, make sure it’s operational, he says. “Regulations require that your TTR be operational to meet grade A standards, and will be administered under the provincial raw milk quality program.” TTRs let you know whether your bulk tank is cooling properly and your cleaning systems are using water at the correct temperature. A University of Guelph study found overall milk quality improved on farms that had aTTR installed. “It is beneficial that in the first year of TTR installations, there has been a significant decrease in the raw milk Bactoscan levels on TTR farms in Ontario,” the study states.“Also, there was a potential trend towards a lower risk of dumped/loss bulk tank milk on Ontario dairy farms with a TTR.” DFO’s own statistics reflect the same trend. A raw milk quality program update prepared for 2008 spring regional meetings noted the number of bacteria penalties dropped 30 per cent in the 12-month period ending Feb. 29, 2008. “Fewer bacteria penalties may be attributable to producers reacting in a timely fashion to milk and wash temperature warnings and alarms from their TTRs,” Hamilton says. As well, starting Aug. 1, the TTR must store all data required for the next three years until Aug. 1, 2011. After that, it has to hold the data for the most recent three-year period on an ongoing basis. Data stored in the TTR have to be in a form that can be retrieved and read by field persons inspecting your farm, according to the regulation. To view the complete regulation, visit www.search.e-laws.gov.on.ca and enter regulation 761 in the search area. www.centralalbertafarms.com call: Andries Steegstra Royal LePage Info Market Group Lacombe Cell: 403-391-6260 Office 403-782-2114 Email: asteegstra@royallepage.ca 16 | July 2008 | MilkPRODUCER
Supply management credited for keeping food prices low Canada’s supply management system is being hailed as one of the reasons food prices for such staples as milk, poultry and eggs, have remained stable. A recent Toronto Star article cited a Statistics Canada report stating Canada’s food price inflation has remained relatively stable at 1.2 per cent, even though the price of grain has soared on world markets. The article also pointed out only two per cent of the price for a box of cereal represents the cost of the grain. The rest pays for things like packaging, advertising, processing and shipping. A rising loonie, which makes importing food like fruits and vegetables cheaper, was also credited with helping offset higher food prices. MilkPRODUCER | July 2008 | 17
Page 1 and 2: July 2008 Publications Mail Sales A
Page 3 and 4: the PRODUCER 8 In This Issue Vol. 8
Page 5 and 6: EDITOR’SNOTES By Bill Dimmick THE
Page 7 and 8: WestfaliaSurge offers three Kool Wa
Page 9 and 10: You want quality equipment cooling
Page 11 and 12: fetalattraction www.vetoquinol.ca
Page 14 and 15: Dairy farmers support new labelling
Page 18 and 19: DFCPROMOTION By Julie Lefebvre Part
Page 20 and 21: How Green Can You Grow? Greenhouse
Page 22 and 23: You can continue on this green path
Page 24 and 25: Break down the barriers to improve
Page 26 and 27: FARMPROFILE By Bill Dimmick Team pl
Page 28 and 29: Truro, Nova Scotia. She grew up in
Page 30 and 31: PROCESSORSPOTLIGHT By Sharon Laidla
Page 32 and 33: FARMFINANCE By Sharon Laidlaw A cri
Page 34 and 35: Dealing with the inevitable Besides
Page 36 and 37: effective fibre should stimulate ch
Page 38 and 39: APPLIEDSCIENCE By Ian Dohoo, Signe
Page 40 and 41: MARKETS Producers put brakes on pro
Page 42 and 43: Ontario deductions For May 2008 Ove
Page 44 and 45: YOUR ONE STOP FOR LIVESTOCK HANDLIN
Page 46 and 47: THEBACKFORTY By Sharon Laidlaw We w

Calculating YOUR CARBON Footprint Calculating ... - ClimateCHECK

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