Proposed Changes to the Milk Act to Include Adding Sheep Milk

The government is proposing changes to the Milk Act that will include adding sheep milk under
the Act and developing new regulations for sheep milk production, transport and processing.

Sheep milk producers are currently regulated under the Public Health Act, which does not have an
extensive regulatory or inspection regime. The changes proposed by the government will
address, “inconsistent regulatory oversight of milk in Ontario”.

Ontario Sheep Farmers is working with the Dairy Sheep Co-operative to coordinate a response
from sheep milk producers to the proposed changes to the Milk Act. OSF would also like to hear
from producers who are milking sheep and have questions or concerns about the proposed
changes to the regulatory environment.

OSF will be holding a meeting to discuss the proposed changes on February 12th at 7 pm. Please
follow this link to register: https://bit.ly/4jCBSjR

If you are unable to attend but would like to discuss these changes, please contact Erin Morgan
at emorgan@ontariosheep.org or 519-831-0850.

There will also be a presentation from Phillip Wilman, Raw Milk Quality Program Coordinator
from OMAFA, on the Milk Act and the compliance experience of goat milk producers at the
Dairy Sheep Symposium on March 25th in Floradale. More details here: https://bit.ly/4aIhj1I
Details and Timelines:

OSF has until February 14th to provide comments on the proposed changes to the Milk Act
within the consultation period. However, the provincial election will mean this process will be
delayed until the new government is in place and a Bill to amend the Milk Act can be proposed
to the new cabinet. Even when the bill is passed, there will not be an impact on sheep dairy
farmers until the regulations are developed and come into force. That process could take two to
three years from today.

Once sheep milk is added to the Milk Act, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and
Agribusiness will begin writing regulations for food safety and quality that sheep milk producers,
transporters and processors will be required to follow. Regulation 761 for cow and goat (R.R.O.
1990, Reg. 761 MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS | ontario.ca) provides insight into the level of
regulation a sheep milk producer can expect. Sheep milk producers will have the opportunity to
comment on the regulations and the timelines for enforcement throughout the regulatory
development process.

Once the regulations are in place, inspectors from the Food Safety Inspection Delivery Branch of
OMAFA will work with producers to come into compliance with the regulations.

For more information about these changes, please contact:
Erin Morgan, Executive Director
Ontario Sheep Farmers
Cell: 519-831-0850
Email: emorgan@OntarioSheep.org
130 Malcolm Road, Guelph ON N1K 1B1