There’s a link between dairies and retail stores that receives little attention from consumers and other players in the milk industry.
It’s the truck that collects milk from dairies and takes it to processors. Collection involves traffic, poor winter roads and sometimes adverse conditions on dairy farms.
Mike Southwood, general manager of Alberta Milk, reminded dairy producers in the southern region Oct. 30 about the yard policy now in place across Western Canada. It requires them to maintain good truck access and comply with safety rules.
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“We lose efficiencies if we get trucks stuck in the yard or that can’t get in to pick up in a timely and effective and efficient manner,” he said.
New this year is a policy prohibiting trucks from reversing into or out of a farmyard and into a lane.
Southwood said two major frustrations for haulers are small driveways that don’t easily accommodate large trucks and an insufficient area in which to turn trucks around.
On the list of minor concerns are:
- yard too muddy
- excessive potholes
- parked farm equipment impeding trucks
- snow not plowed
- manure in lane or turnaround area
- branches blocking view or scratching truck
Southwood said producers who don’t take action could have their milk licences suspended until improvements are made.
