Canada's dairy industry received some good news this week.

It was announced that the federal government would be making an investment of over $2.2 million under the Growing Forward 2, AgriMarketing Program, to assist the Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFM) roll out an on-farm customer assurance program and a national traceability system for the dairy sector.

“Dairy farmers are proud of the care that goes into the nutritious and quality milk they produce for Canadians, which is why we are so pleased by today’s announcement," said DFC President Pierre Lampron. "The government has shown their commitment to working with dairy farmers to provide consumers with the knowledge that we have very high standards in Canada for dairy cattle traceability, so they can better understand where their food comes from.”

The Canadian Dairy Commission also launched the Workforce Development Initiative (WDI), a three-year, $5 million investment to support the attraction and education of a qualified workforce in the Canadian dairy industry.

"The CDC's Workforce Development Initiative will help attract new and qualified workers to the dairy sector, which is of vital importance to remain competitive and foster continuous innovation," said Federal Ag Minister Lawrence MacAulay. "Canada's dairy sector creates good jobs, helping to grow the middle class, strengthening the economy, and ensuring that Canadian families enjoy our country's high-quality dairy products."

The WDI is composed of four key funding programs:

1.Scholarship Program: scholarships for graduate students in fields related to the dairy industry
2.Career Promotion Program: promotion of careers in the dairy industry
3.Education Program: creation of government-certified, full-time educational programs in order to train qualified staff to work in dairy plants
4.Continuing Education Program: opportunities for continuing education for current dairy plant and farm staff

Organizations eligible for funding include industry associations and learning institutions.

The CDC will evaluate applications during the summer and funding will start in the fall.