Overview of Ontario Dairy Goat Industry

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The Ontario dairy goat industry is a significant and growing sector of the provincial and national agricultural industry. The last census, completed in 2021 demonstrates that Ontario is home to 70% of the Canadian dairy goat farms and Ontario dairy farms produce 90% of Canada’s total goat milk production.

There are currently 198 dairy goat milk producing families in the province of Ontario. Together, these farms produce more than 60 million Litres of goat milk annually.

Dairy goat operators are, on average, younger than other farm operators. The 2021 Census indicated that the average age of dairy goat operators was 44.8 years of age and the average age of farm operators in Canada was 56 years of age.

The dairy goat industry is a non-supply managed industry with several purchasers/brokers of goat milk. Goat milk brokers are responsible for sourcing goat milk from Grade A inspected farms, milk transportation, negotiating milk prices and milk delivery to both domestic and export markets.