Dave G.
Perhaps we have the beginning of what you ask for in the fledgling CWT
program coupled with our soft US dollar. At least it is a true self help
program. I feel there are some holes in it as it stands right now, but
since the government isn't involved it can be changed rapidly.
Just because the major part of the US dairy industry is tied into high
cost production right now doesn't mean it can't be changed over time.
A group of Ohio Dairymen are working hard to get a pasture based long
term research dairy started in Coshocton, Ohio. It will take sound
research to prove the sustainable environmental and economic benefits of
pasture dairying in the US but we can gain plenty from the research
already done in New Zealand and Ireland.
The days of permitting new large confinement dairies east of the
Mississippi soon will be over but there will be plenty of grass
available east of the Mississippi for smaller profitable grass dairies.
Dave Forgey
>Dave G.,
>Perhaps we need a new co-op system or just more dairy farmers doing
>their own thing. (Profitably)
\
>Dave Forgey
>
You can do whatever to lower your COP (energy costs and taxes will still
rise) (and even though grazers use less fuel on their farms, the cost of
fueling the trucks that move dairy products results in less paid to
farmers) but unless you control supply, you will always be at the mercy
of processors trying to create over supply by importing.
Dave G.
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