If you're a dairy farmer, I don't have to tell you how far our price has dropped and how bad the outlook is for the next few months. If you're a dairy consumer, you may not realize how bad our on-the-farm price has gotten based upon what you're paying in the store (that's a can of worms for another day).
There will be a whole lot of us walking the tight rope over the next several months, and unfortunately I expect too many will fall off and not recover. While we're doing what we can "in-house" as an industry (such as the CWT program), there are steps the USDA could take to help stabilize our market.
Senators Feingold and Kohl are preparing a letter to Secretary Vilsack requesting that the USDA explore several options that would offer some relief to the economic challenges that are facing America's dairy farmers. Specifically, the letter asks the USDA to modify its Dairy Product Price Suport Program (DPPSP) to accept standards more in line with industry norms, allow for additional purchases for distribution through USDA nutrition programs, and find ways to fully utilize the Dairy Export Incentive Program (DEIP).
Each of these steps could help preserve our domestic dairy production and make sure that our consumers have high-quality, safe, nutritious, and affordable American milk and dairy products. Please take a few moments and encourage your state's senators to support these requests by co-signing the Feingold/Kohl letter. It's a win-win for both the dairy producer and the dairy consumer.
You can get in touch with your senators through Senate.gov
There will be a whole lot of us walking the tight rope over the next several months, and unfortunately I expect too many will fall off and not recover. While we're doing what we can "in-house" as an industry (such as the CWT program), there are steps the USDA could take to help stabilize our market.
Senators Feingold and Kohl are preparing a letter to Secretary Vilsack requesting that the USDA explore several options that would offer some relief to the economic challenges that are facing America's dairy farmers. Specifically, the letter asks the USDA to modify its Dairy Product Price Suport Program (DPPSP) to accept standards more in line with industry norms, allow for additional purchases for distribution through USDA nutrition programs, and find ways to fully utilize the Dairy Export Incentive Program (DEIP).
Each of these steps could help preserve our domestic dairy production and make sure that our consumers have high-quality, safe, nutritious, and affordable American milk and dairy products. Please take a few moments and encourage your state's senators to support these requests by co-signing the Feingold/Kohl letter. It's a win-win for both the dairy producer and the dairy consumer.
You can get in touch with your senators through Senate.gov
2 comments:
Will,
I shared your words with both Senators Shelby & Sessions through the senate link this morning, Friday, Jan.30 and encourage others to do so.
I hope the best for you,
Jenna P. Jones
Thanks so much!
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