The prime minister also said supply management provides a fair price for farmers, stability for processors and high-quality dairy products at an affordable price for consumers.

The remarks concluded with a pledge to protect and defend supply management during the NAFTA negotiations.

The two days in Quebec City included Quebec MPs representing all three major parties attending the president’s reception, the publishing of DFC’s annual report and a number of guest speakers including Pierrette Desrosiers, occupational psychologist; David Coletto, CEO, Abacus Data; Simon Dupuis, IPSOS; Alexandre Lazier, Bioenterprise Corporation Canada; Dr. John Sievenpiper, University of Toronto; and Dr. Tanya Holloway, McMaster University.

Desrosiers presented on the topic of mental health, educating attendees in a humorous and empathetic fashion about how to recognize when someone is in distress and what you can do.

Dupuis presented consumption trends and barriers to consumption of milk and cheese based on an online study conducted for DFC.

Lazier shed some light on the future of proteins and discussed how options for proteins are increasingly diverse, and over time innovations will increase adoptions.

Sievenpiper kicked off the nutrition discussion by looking at the relationship of saturated fat, sugar and sodium to chronic disease and how dairy contributes – which was, in many cases, shown to be neutral to positive.

Following Sievenpiper, Holloway shared the links between diet, muscle mass and chronic disease.

Keynote speaker Coletto wowed attendees with his segment “Who are millennials?”

Coletto highlighted the opportunity for the dairy industry to engage and connect with millennials by creating experiences, as millennials value food and view themselves as “foodies.”

As millennials ask many questions, want to know where their food comes from and with the value they place on authenticity, it is critical dairy farmers continue to tell the story of their shared values in an honest way.

Several presentations from the AGM are available on the DFC website.

DFC would like to thank all those who attended and contributed to the success of this year’s AGM.  

PHOTO: DFC President Pierre Lampron opens the 2018 AGM with the president’s address. Photo courtesy of DFC.

Founded in 1934, Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) is the national organization which defends the interests of Canadian dairy farmers and strives to create favourable conditions for the Canadian dairy industry. Working in accordance with supply management principles, DFC promotes safe, high quality, sustainable and nutritious Canadian dairy products made from 100% Canadian milk through various marketing, nutrition, policy and lobbying initiatives. Driven by a strong sense of community and pride, DFC and Canadian dairy farmers actively support a number of local and national activities. Visit dairyfarmers.ca for more information.