New Canada food guide has P.E.I. dairy farmers 'very concerned'

The Dairy Farmers of P.E.I. is "very concerned" with changes made to Canada's food guide.

Federal Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor unveiled the revamped guide in Montreal on Tuesday, revising the guide for the first time in more than a decade.

Harold MacNevin, chair of the dairy farmers group, said the layout of the new guide is one reason it worries him.

We've been trying to raise it as a concern … how it's really affecting the dairy industry.— Harold MacNevin, Dairy Farmers of P.E.I.

MacNevin said the old guide specifically identified dairy as an essential part of a healthy diet and now it is recognized but not prominently displayed.

"Dairy is buried into the other sources of nutrients, so for example, it would be under the category of protein and calcium sources," he said.

"It was recognized as a separate category … so this is your source of calcium and protein. Whereas now it's changed and now it's included with other sources of calcium and protein.

"Our concern is that it's not an individual category anymore, but it does still emphasize the importance of dairy in a diet, which is good."

MacNevin said his group brought its concerns about the new guide and its effect on the dairy industry to federal and provincial politicians.

"We've been trying to raise it as a concern to make people aware about the changes to the food guide, and how it's really affecting the dairy industry by not making it a primary focus of calcium and protein in their diets," he said.

"It may have an effect on overall consumption of dairy products because of the replacement aspect of it."

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