Quote:
Originally Posted by blankall
The licensing is a bigger issue IMO.
At $35,000+ just for the license for each cow, the term small time farmer takes. on a different meaning. It's a complete barrier for anyone but the rich to enter the market.
|
Ding, ding, ding we have a winner! It boils down to quota. Quota isn't necessarily a "license" for a cow, it's more how much milk/butterfat you can produce (measured in kg/butterfat). I'd guess quota is more at $45k right now. You want to start dairy farming in BC and don't have family already in the industry?- have about $10mil to start with and then be on a quota wait list for a good 5 years and you might get somewhere. I have to finish a paper and don't have time to actually discuss what quota really is and why it impacts dairy farmers but the BC Milk Board website is a good place to start and I have the Quota Policy of 2014 saved if anyone wants to read it.
And no, I don't want subsidies from the government either.