Dairy farmer Crosbie Williams milks 180 cows in a modern freestyle barn at Pond View Farms in Goulds, Newfoundland.
Williams and his brother, Ray, operate one of 19 dairy farms in a province that boasts the largest dairy operations, based on average cow numbers, in the country. Those farms produce 100 per cent of the island’s fluid milk requirements and also produce industrial milk that makes up 30 to 40 per cent of production.
Getting bigger is a fact of life for farmers seeking both profitably and sustainability, says Williams. With rocky soils that makes grain production challenging, and a limited land base, cost of product is extremely high for island farmers. “The reality is, you have to milk a lot of cows in Newfoundland to make a living.”
In 2024, the producers took another step to help insure the future of their industry when they banded together to purchase the only local milk processing plant and formed the Newfoundland and Labrador Dairy Co-operative (NLDC). On this episode of RealAgriculture’s Profitable Practices, Williams shares why it’s important for dairy farmers to “own the industry” in a province where consumers are scattered in many remote areas and difficult to serve.
Watch the video below.
It’s also an issue of food security and food sovereignty in a province where only supply managed products — milk, poultry and eggs — are produced in significant quantities.
The co-operative also has plans to tap into the demand for local food products. New branding for NLDC and new products, including local lactose-free and butter are expected to enhance the dairy case for consumers across the province.
At the end of the day, Williams and the other dairy farmers are banking on a sustainable future for their industry. “We’re going to know that we got a home for our milk, and that’s extremely important. My dad reminded us often that there was times that milk was produced but it didn’t have a sale. Well, we’ll have a sale.”
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