Northumberland, Agropur deal welcomed by dairy farmers

The sale of Northumberland Dairy to Quebec-based Agropur Co-operative is being welcomed by the chairman of the Dairy Farmers of New Brunswick.

Paul Gaunce, of Sussex, says the deal announced on Monday will allow the industry to modernize and consumers won't notice any changes.

"We have plants that are getting older and Agropur has made several purchases in the Maritimes in the last couple of years and it's really solidified the strength because it's such a bigger company," he said.

Gaunce says part of the deal will include building a new plant in Sussex.

"It's a bigger company and it can ride out the hard spots and they have the capital to invest in infrastructure and the Maritimes needs new infrastructure investment, especially in industrial milk," he said.

"And part of the deal when we merged with Dairytown and Agropur is that a new plant would be built in the Maritimes in the Sussex area."

Gaunce says consumers will still be drinking milk made in New Brunswick.

"The consumer won't see a thing," said Gaunce. "It'll be seamless.

"New Brunswick milk will be going to Northumberland and New Brunswick consumers will still be drinking purely New Brunswick milk.

"It'll still be in Miramichi and it'll still have New Brunswick cows' milk in it."

Gaunce has a herd of 40 cows on his farm between Sussex and Saint John and thinks the Agropur deal will make it more likely that his dream of having his son take over his farm will come true.