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Specialty Cheese Production
In recent years, reports on growth of sales in the specialty cheese category across Canada have been encouraging for that sector of the dairy industry. Included in the category are goat and sheep milk products. In March 2004, a group of cheese enthusiasts, dairy industry representatives, academics and government staff met to determine the amount of interest in forming an association of like-minded people to promote artisanal-type cheeses. A number of those attending were goat and sheep milk producers. The response to forming an association was positive. Under the leadership of Petra Cooper, a working group laid the foundation and the Ontario Cheese Society (OCS) was born. Petra Cooper is a publishing executive who plans to open a cheese manufacturing plant in Prince Edward County. The first annual general meeting of the OCS was held in conjunction with the Toronto Food and Wine Expo in November 2004. Members are happy to have a vehicle for promoting their philosophy and products to the marketplace. Some of the members are looking to the OCS to be a resource to milk producers who want to manufacture artisanal cheese products on-farm. They expect to benefit from the experiences of those who have "gone before them". Part of OCS's advice to new entrants will be to contact the Food Industry Division at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food for regulatory requirements and business development assistance. The Food Industry Division consists of three branches, Food Industry Competitiveness Branch acts as a single window contact to government for food processors in Ontario. Its activities are focused on investment and job creation in the Ontario food industry. Its services are targeted to businesses currently operating in Ontario and to new entrants, both Ontario-based and out-of-province companies. FICB provides general business support to new entrants to the food
processing sector, in all product categories.
Food Inspection Branch's Dairy Food Safety Program is your key source for regulatory requirements and licensing of dairy processors in Ontario. Currently, the Milk Act (Ontario) governs the production and processing of goat and cow milk products in Ontario. Goat and cow milk products that will be sold to the public must be made in facilities that are licensed by OMAFRA's Food Inspection Branch. All goat and cow milk processors, including on-farm processors, are required to meet the requirements of, and be licensed under, the Milk Act. Under that Act, you are required to contact the Director before constructing a new dairy processing facility or renovating an existing facility. Milk Act regulations will remain in effect until new regulations are developed and implemented under the Food Safety and Quality Act. Sheep and other types of milk products will be governed in the future under Ontario's Food Safety and Quality Act, so new entrants into the sheep milk processing business should also contact FIB, as well as their local Public Health Unit, for advice. The Public Health Units have jurisdiction anywhere that food being offered for sale is made, e.g.- restaurants, retail deli counters, food vendor carts, caterers, and otherwise unregulated processing facilities (such as sheep milk processors, bakeries, etc). For information on dairy inspection programs and regulatory requirements
contact Food Inspection Branch staff, toll free, at 1-888-466-2372 For business start-up information, contact the Food Industry Competitiveness
Branch: Related Links| Top of Page | For more information:Toll Free: 1-877-424-1300 Local: (519) 826-4047 E-mail: ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca |
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