graze-l May 2005: [SPAM] - Re: [SPAM] - RE: [SPAM] - Re: [SPAM] - RE: [SPAM] - RE: [Graze-l]
International competition and next generation - Email found in subject - Email found in subject - Email found in subject -
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>Dave G.,
>Actions make things better, complaining does little to change things.
>Graze-L'ers who go way back will recall when my co-op decided to pay me
>less for my summer milk than my neighbor who produced all year. When I
>invited the co-op representative to my farm to explain the reason to me,
>they changed their mind when they had to explain it to my congressman,
>newspaper, & radio folks as well as some extension people and a few
>dairymen friends who also were surprise guests at that meeting.
Whoa, it seems that complaining about Foremost's decision to pay less for
summer milk got the decision reversed..............
Now what would happen if the co-ops decided to exercise that oft forgotten
co-op principle, the one about co-ops cooperating with their fellow co-ops?
Yup, use that Capper-Volstad Act to set price and use their combined (they
control 80% of US milk) strength to make sure tarrifs and quotas are
effective against the IDFA importing enough to throw us into over-supply.
By creating the future assurance that the IDFA, Kraft, etc. can no longer
manipulate the market, startup dairymen, their mentors and their lenders
will view the future as promising. I have no doubt that the 15 cent
checkoff is enough to grow the domestic dairy product market (which imports
refuse to pay into and the USDA ignores enforcing a Congressional directive
to do so). Some European countries consume twice the cheese per capita the
US does so there's room to grow.
I then
>worked to get on the board of directors. The other board members over
>time have found that I'm interested in what is good for dairymen as well
>as that co-op, maybe management is even seeing that now.
Well, since you're now on the board, indeed it is time to do what is good
for USA dairymen (those are your members, USA dairymen).
>We'll miss you as a dairyfarmer but I also see a great future in nitch
>marketing beef and chickens. "I hate chickens"
>Dave Forgey
I also am not fond of chickens but my mother passed on the skills of how to
raise them and you have to figure out how to generate income post-dairying.
Life is filled with many things we dislike but the key is to change the
things we can change. We can change US dairying to be more inviting for
future generations, and certainly grazing dairy holds much appeal as a
lifestyle. But lifestyle alone, won't cut it. I believe we owe future
generations a level playing field, not the current one tipped in the favor
of Kraft, spraWLmart, etc.
Stop on in for a beer and I'll save you a drumstick..........
Dave G.
