Meet the dairy authors of Canada

Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) has issued a book celebrating its nearly 12,000 farmers.

Timed to coincide with the Canada 150 celebration, Dairy Farmers, Deeply Rooted for a Strong Future, chronicles the evolution of Canadian dairy farming through profiles of farmers in each of the 10 provinces.

The 46-page hardcover book is being distributed to dairy farmers, as well as museums, libraries and other organizations associated with the industry. DFC has also created a PDF version of the book available on its website.

DFC plans to promote the book at Canada 150-related celebrations throughout the summer.

The book blends historical photos with images of modern-day dairy farmers, accompanied by a text history of each farm and an overview of dairy farming in that particular province.

Ashlee Smith, assistant director of internal communications and corporate sponsorships at DFC in Ottawa, travelled across the country to interview each of the families featured in the book.

“It was really an honour to speak to these farmers and hear their story and get a really unique look at the passion they bring to the job every day,” she says. “These folks live and breathe what they’re doing, and in most cases they’ve been doing it for many generations. It’s quite something.”

Among the dairy farmers profiled is the Conroy family of Dixon Valleyview Farms in Hoyt, NB, whose farm has been part of the community for 247 years. Kevin Conroy and his wife Diana acquired the farm in 2014, fulfilling Kevin’s longtime dream of becoming a dairy farmer.

Smith says the book was not designed as a marketing tool, but a showcase for the Canadian dairy industry. “It’s to showcase the contribution and rich history of an industry that’s basically been feeding the nation since before Confederation,” she says. “We want to show the farmers as being dedicated and passionate about what they do.”