FREDERICTON (GNB) – The New Brunswick Farm Products Commission has announced that the minimum price consumers will pay for white milk will increase by six cents per litre as of Feb. 1.
The commission determined that a price adjustment was necessary based upon increases to the cost of production for dairy farmers on items such as purchased feed, machinery and equipment repairs, fuel and oil, custom work and hired labour. The price adjustment also covers an increase in costs borne by dairy processors, as is reflected by the increase in consumer and industrial indices.
Pricing under the School Milk Program will remain unchanged for the current school year. The program has provided significant savings to school children in New Brunswick since 1995. Dairy producers and processors subsidize the program by about $800,000 per year.
“New Brunswick dairy producers and processors supply about one million litres of milk to students in kindergarten to Grade 12 each year,” said commission chair Bob Shannon. “This industry-led subsidy still provides a significant saving, and we thank the dairy industry for its long-standing support of the New Brunswick School Milk Program. This is an important program that ensures children have access to nutritious, high-quality milk, which is essential to their development.”
The commission balances the interests of producers, processors and consumers as they set the price of fluid milk products in New Brunswick.
15-01-21