Cheesmaker buys milk in defiance of order

By ROBERT IRWIN

Milk industry officials say they are afraid to
return to an eastern Ontario goat cheese plant
because they've been threatened and assaulted.
County milk committee members have petitioned
Agriculture Minister Noble Villeneuve to close the
place. Producers have been caught selling milk
there illegally, and several operating standards
need to be met before a plant licence can be
issued, but it's business as usual for the
Skotidakis cheese factory at St. Eugene, about 80
km west of Montreal.
Following a recent hearing at Kemptville, Richard
Bird, deputy director of the provincial Resources
and Regulations Branch, agreed to issue an
operating licence to the plant provided certain
conditions are met by Dec. 15. John Skotidakis says
he won't heed Bird's demand that the plant process
only goat milk.
Skotidakis' lawyer Donald Good has advised him that
he can continue buying cow milk from a Quebec
processor while Bird's decision is under appeal to
the Farm Products Appeal Tribunal. The Skotidakis
family has captured a major share of Ontario and
Quebec's feta cheese market by blending varying
amounts of cow and goat milk in their high-quality
products.
Late last month, the tribunal upheld a decision by
Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) to suspend quota
from Glenn and Susan Conway of Chute a Blondeau for
selling illegally to Skotidakis. DFO fieldman Alex
Hamilton and provincial milk quality inspector
Roger Pommainville testified that during their
surprise visit to Conway's farm, Glenn Conway
admitted selling milk to Skotidakis.
Skotidakis had testified at an earlier hearing that
he didn't know Conway. At his own appeal, however,
Conway said he knew Skotidakis. He explained that
his truck went to the cheese factory regularly to
haul whey from the goat factory to feed pigs on his
farm.
Other than to suggest he "was set up," he was
unclear why Hamilton testified that his truck
appeared heavily loaded going to the plant and
empty on its return to his farm. His quota
suspension for the 1995-96 dairy year totals 621
kg, which Conway values at around $6,000.
In his defense, Conway says statements he may have
made to Hamilton should not be used against him.
When contacted after the tribunal's refusal to
grant Conway's appeal, Good, who also represents
the Conways, said the tribunal's treatment of the
farmer is unjust.
"Farmers, when it comes to supply management, don't
have the right to silence; don't have the right to
counsel; don't have the right to a fair and
impartial jury; or trier of fact. They don't have
the right to a presumption of innocence; don't have
proof beyond reasonable doubt - any standard will
do."
"I'm pleased they [the tribunal] have upheld the
board's decision," said DFO chairman John Core. He
indicated the milk board may consider action
against other area farmers.
At his licence hearing, Skotidakis admitted buying
cow milk from Fran¨ois Seguin of St. Eugene. During
an Aug. 25 raid, officials armed with a warrant
seized milk delivery records from Seguin. He has no
milk quota, but as yet no action has been taken
against him.
At least one large operation, which stopped selling
to Skotidakis when DFO began cracking down on
illegal shipments to the plant, has been using a
mobile cheese maker and selling cheese to friends
and neighbours.
   

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