Dairy farmers address Canadian pizza makers concerns with new cheese category

May 02, 2013

Canadian dairy producers approve new milk class for cheese to be used on fresh pizzas

Canadian pizza makers will be happy to hear that the Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC) announced the creation of a new milk class for mozzarella cheese to be used on fresh pizzas. The new class was given the green light by the Canadian Milk Supply Management Committee.

The new changes will take effect July 1st. The class is aimed at lowering the costs for restaurants that prepare pizzas on site and will boost the market segment for mozzarella cheese in Canada.

Agriculture Minister Ritz said that the announcement is good news for dairy farmers, processors and restaurants – noting that this move is an example of the whole value chain working together to grow markets for farmers, while keeping our country’s restaurant industry competitive.

President of the Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC), Wally Smith says that farmers would like to see this class bring growth in sales of mozzarella cheese for pizza businesses. Smith also notes that DFC and the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association have been working on this proposal for several months.

The creation of the new class is an attempt by DFC to address some of the concerns raised in the fresh pizza industry. The group representing the pizza industry says that they are pleased with the announcement.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.