Why is this research important for Alberta ag?
Milk production, transportation and processing is coordinated at a western Canadian level through the Western Milk Pool (WPM, an association of the BC Milk Marketing Board, Alberta Milk, SaskMilk, and Dairy Farmers of Manitoba). To reduce transportation costs associated with hauling fluid milk interprovincially while reducing the industry's carbon footprint, the WMP has invested in Dairy Innovation West (DIW).
DIW is a milk concentration facility that will be built in Blackfalds, Alberta, and is anticipated to be operational in 2022. DIW is a not-for-profit corporation owned by WMP dairy producers through each provincial milk marketing board. DIW will be a pre-competitive greenfield fluid ingredients facility that takes raw milk from the WMP and concentrates it into components, such as concentrated while milk, concentrated skim milk, cream, ultrafiltered milk, and milk protein concentrate (MPC).
Dairy processors in Alberta, and in western Canada, have an interest in using these components to create value-added dairy products. MPC in particular is the accepted standard within the global cheese manufacturing sector and can help processors enhance cheese yields and optimize plant capacities.
What benefits can producers expect from this research?
Having a domestic and reliable source of concentrated milk components provides processors the opportunity to:
be more price competitive, especially in light of recent trade agreements
Improve the shelf life and quality of existing products
Expand their offering to include new and unique dairy value-added products
Explore niche export market opportunities
With costs confirmed and benefits clearly and scientifically determined, this research has the potential to improve the efficiency and competitiveness of existing dairy processors, and stimulate interest in expanding dairy processing capacity in Alberta, positioning the industry to take advantage of anticipated increased production opportunities over the next 7-10 years.
Funded in part by the Government of Canada under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.