Dairy farmers, restaurant owners, say ‘cheese’ with new class of mozzarella

OTTAWA – Canada’s dairy farmers have changed the rules they use to classify milk that goes into making mozzarella cheese.

And that could result in cheaper fresh-made pizzas for consumers across the country.

The new milk class, to take effect June 1, is expected to result in lower costs of Canadian-made mozzarella for restaurants that prepare and cook pizzas on site.

The move could also slow or halt the erosion of domestic cheese sales to pizza restaurants.

A number of restaurant chains recently began circumventing hefty cheese tariffs by importing their mozzarella by way of pizza topping kits.

Last year, the Canada Border Services Agency last year designated the boxed cheese-and-pepperoni combinations as a food preparation, rather than simply cheese, meaning they could be imported duty-free.

The case is currently before the Canadian International Trade Tribunal, and is seen as a serious threat to Canada’s farm supply management system.