Why is cheese more expensive in Canada?

[Dinner]

Poutine *****.

Heart attack?

[Dinner]

What?

"I pay to much for cheese."

[Dinner]

It's a tricky situation, as the value of quota is a significant asset for producers. It would be very disruptive to simply toss it out.

The system will end. We are at the beginning stages of the government making the case that it should, and looking for ways to do it that are best for all concerned.

Who cares? The 99.99% of the Canadian population who was not dairy farmers would instantly realize real economic benefits. We're talking every family which buys a liter of milk (even in your stupid plastic bags) or a cheese pizza would instantly economically benefit.

[Dinner]

Technically there could be an argument that grass-fed milk based cheese tastes {better,worse,the same} as regular corn fed cheese, as they will contain different things in them...

Isn't that a factor for individual producers to attempt to influence the market's purchasing power? I mean, if it really is better they should be able to educate consumers and thus obtain a significant market price preference. This is how organic or heirloom farmers get higher prices for their goods so why shouldn't Canadian producers be subject to the same market pressures?

[Dinner]

BTW, if you take away the cost of the quota from the final retail price, cheese is the same in the US and Canada.

Bah, that's garbage and everyone knows it. That's why Canadians descend upon US retail outlets to buy cheap milk (half the price in Canada), cheese, and butter. Seriously, places like Bellingham, Washington have set up a massive retail sector just to satisfy Canadian milk piranhas. There are videos of them striping pallets of milks in seconds. There is a reason Canadians are willing to smuggle cheese and it is because arbitrage means they can make a lot of money buying cheese in the US for $35k and selling it in Canada for $200,000. With that type of money to be made you will always have cheese smugglers.

[SlowwHand]

You have issues.

[Dinner]

Kill yourself.

[notyoueither]

Who cares? The 99.99% of the Canadian population who was not dairy farmers would instantly realize real economic benefits. We're talking every family which buys a liter of milk (even in your stupid plastic bags) or a cheese pizza would instantly economically benefit.

Some of us care about having stable industries producing needed food.

Assuming that tossing the quota system would lead to farm failures (the asset is collateral for loans, some of which would then likely be called) why would we want to do that?

Then there's that whole trust in government thing. It does not lead to a favourable impression among investors when a government starts behaving as if Hugo Chavez is running the place.

[giblets]

So you're going to subsidize them at the expense of society in perpetuity just to avoid bankrupting some farmers and having the government go back on a promise?

[notyoueither]

I doubt it. There are noises coming from different quarters about the wisdom of getting rid of them. They won't simply be tossed though. Those with existing quota are going to be compensated in some way when they are done away with in all likelihood.

[notyoueither]

I'm all in favour of getting rid of them, btw. Just not in a way that will be overly disruptive to current producers.

[Sava]

Canadian milk piranhas

[Sava]

maybe oerdin has an aneurysm about to pop

he's awfully worked up about this

[giblets]

oerdin simply hates foreigners. Even Canadians and Texans.

[Dinner]

Some of us care about having stable industries producing needed food.

Assuming that tossing the quota system would lead to farm failures (the asset is collateral for loans, some of which would then likely be called) why would we want to do that?

Then there's that whole trust in government thing. It does not lead to a favourable impression among investors when a government starts behaving as if Hugo Chavez is running the place.

You're claiming that removing government restraints on the free market is what Hugo Chavez would do? Come on, man.

Also, rationalizing the dairy industry so that inefficient producers go out of business and efficient producers are rewarded with a greater market share (and great profits) would increase both output and quality so there really is no worry about not producing needed food. It's just a question of whither the freeloaders should be allowed to continue to punish every other person in Canada economically via higher prices and lack of a functioning free market.