Save America's Dairy Farmers

June 12, 10:01 AMBoston Sustainable Food ExaminerLeah Bloom

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Boston Sustainable Food Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Today I received an exhortation from Food Democracy Now to contact Secretary Tom Vilsack, head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, about the precipitous drop in the price dairy farmers are paid for milk.  The current price is well below the cost of production, and represents the single biggest drop in diary prices since the Great Depression.

Reasons for the price drop are largely political, which means that we must seek a political solution.  Here is the letter Food Democracy Now and their partner in this campaign, Credo Action*, have asked me to share with you:

"The American family dairy industry is in crisis. Because of price fixing by the Dairy Farmers of America -- the country's largest milk "cooperative" which controls 40% of US dairy production -- the amount that farmers are paid for the milk they produce has dropped over 50 percent in the last six months. This is the largest single drop since the Great Depression.

"Already, banks across the country are cutting off farmers' access to credit and at least two dairy farmers in California have committed suicide. The latest estimates suggest the price crash could lead to as many as 20,000 family dairy farmers being forced off the land by the end of the year.

"While the problem deserves a more comprehensive long-term fix, the immediate solution is clear: US Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has the power to adjust the price of milk paid to farmers to 'reflect the price' of production.

"I just signed a petition asking US Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to take the first step and act within his authority to immediately adjust the floor price for milk to a level that will keep family dairy farmers in business. Please have a look and take action.

"If you'd like Secretary Vilsack to hear your concerns in person, please call his office at (202) 720-3631 after you send your fax and tell him that you stand with America's dairy farmers during this crisis."

* Credo Action is part of Working Assets, what I believe to be the greatest phone company on earth.  Not only do they have excellent local, long distance, and mobile phone service at competitive rates, but they donate a percentage of every bill to progressive causes chosen by their members.  They also run advocacy campaigns like this one, enabling citizens to speak up about causes that matter to them.