Posted by:
Sentinel Staff
8/18/2009 8:31:54 AM
A recent series of Sentinel articles pointed up struggles in the local dairy industry, with some farms actually trimming herds to cut their losses. Is it important -- or not important -- to have dairy farms in the region?
9/23/2009 8:21:13 PM
Yes, it is important. We should all be buying local products, not just Keene but we should buy from New England merchants and create our own jobs. Did you know why you do not see any or hardly any fast foods in New York City? Or even home depots or targets? Because, they are not allowed, only mom and pop buisnesses. Thats how New Yorkers survive. Every 6 blocks has all the needed stores to provide for the people in that area: buchers,cleaners,clothes,doctors, schools etc. They take care of their own and we should too. Sure, we can have a price chopper or market basket but you put some of our local products in there too or get out. Thats my rant and I am sticking to it.
8/21/2009 10:42:49 AM
Mr. Beaureguard - Why would the government support free enterprise? This would nix their ability to control people, cutting in on their turf. The feds are only interested in more regulation to fix hat they broke. Another post here points to a law that regulates the regulations to make regulations even among the over-regulated - how nuts is that?
8/20/2009 12:57:09 PM
The President has asked us to buy local foods, and I try to do that when I can. I used to pay more for local dairy products from the Knight Farm. The only reason was that it was a local farm, and I felt it needed to be kept and suported as a local dairy.
Today I am never sure where my dairy products come from! So how can I buy a local product? For all I know the milk I buy today may come powdered from China, and then packaged here with a shue fine or other label.
The farm works long hours, 7 days a week, and do not shut the doors for a holiday. Thats a job you must enjoy, most of us would not last long with those conditions. Then we add to that by dictating the price that they can make on there product!
I would not last long working those hours, while also knowing that I am losing money everyday. How can anyone stay in business under those conditions?
I would like to see this industry return to the free enterprise system, and then have it suported within each State. If the federal government chooses not to use free enterprise, then work with the states to calculate the actual cost of production in each state.
I would think it would cost more to produce in New England than other areas. So we have some very dedicated local farmers in this area, but even they will have to go broke at sometime.
Local farms are as much a part of this area as any mountain, river, stream and wooded areas. The State works hard to preserve and sustain all of these except the local farms. Why is that?
8/19/2009 3:34:12 PM
It's not just the dairy industry. It's not surprising that the US Government would work so hard to crush small business in favor of big business. They have been at it for years.
And it's just the beginning. Just wait until cap-and-trade bill hits the dairy industry with the $135 per-head tax on cows because they produce methane. Right, a cow fart tax. That is the first tax on unprocessed food that I can think of.
And wait until the government requires you to purchase health care for every worker at the farm. You'll have to lay off staff and cut head count on cows that under-produce, just to break even. Time to hang it up.
I weep at the people supporting the Democrats plan for health care. They know not the outcome that so many small business owners foresee, quite clearly.
8/18/2009 3:23:37 PM
Set aside the hoopla over the required pasteurization of milk by many states. Set aside the PETA protesters and their efforts to shut down the diary business. It all depends on whether it is important to have the government regulate your business to the point that you need to sell the farm to developers for new housing tracts.
The heavy hand of the government plays into the milk business in so many ways it would make your head spin. It costs more for a small farm to make milk than what they are ALLOWED to sell it for. That's right - milk prices are set to by the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. Do not be surprised that the Federal Government sets the price that us processors pay for raw milk. Pricing is set monthly and varies depending on several factors including feed grain prices, fuel prices, the cost and availability of the actual cows, and corn. The government looks at the cost and availability of corn, forecasted crop yields, transportation costs and fertilizer prices.
Additionally, almost every state has it own milk laws that affect the production and marketing of milk. Atop this is federal legislation that was implemented in 2005. Here is the synopsis of that bill:
Milk Regulatory Equity Act of 2005
To ensure regulatory equity between and among all dairy farmers and handlers for sales of packaged fluid milk in federally regulated milk marketing areas and into certain non-federally regulated milk marketing areas from federally regulated areas, and for other purposes.
It just seems absurd that the government is regulating to provide regulatory equity because some have more regulations than others, notwithstanding there was no effort to UNDO the regulation and let the free market allow for fair pricing, marketing and distribution of milk.
As such, it is ILLEGAL for a family farm to underprice a large regional dairy. And since the large regional dairy can tie themselves to large regional supermarket chains, the family farm is relegated to lining up with local or sub-regional supermarkets because there is no shelf space in the big box supermarkets for the little guy.
So, we now see the demise our politicians bring to small farms in America. The best intentions result in the most dire consequences.
Look for your local family farm to turn into low-income housing tracts .... and $10 milk.