Ten candidates will advance to the next round of the dairy industry’s new entrant program selection process, following a random draw on February 8.
The draw was conducted by the Council of Marketing Boards using an online selection process, which generated the random results. A representative of the BC Milk Marketing Board and independent observer monitored the affair. The online name generator selected the 10 short-listed candidates from a pool of 79 applicants. The deadline for applications was February 5.
The number of applicants who submitted complete applications was up slightly from last year’s total of 77. However, interest is down from two years ago, when 95 applications were submitted.
The short-listed candidates must now provide documentation, including a business plan, by June 1 in order to be interviewed. Just three candidates will be selected to enter the dairy industry and begin production in 2022.
The program provides successful applicants with 15 kgs of Continuous Daily Quota in order to start milk production (enough for about a dozen cows), plus up to 8 kgs of matching CDQ on a 1:1 ratio basis during the 10 years of the program. Producers are no longer considered new entrants after 10 years, and are expected to be self-sustaining by that time.
Applicants who did not make the short-list have a chance to resubmit their applications in future years. The deadline for submitting applications for the 2022 draw will be announced later this year.
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