Dairy Farms are Hurting

Dairy farming is an industry that has played an important role in Connecticut’s history and its landscape.  According to the State Agriculture Department in 1940 there were 6,233 working dairy farms around the state. In 1990, around 500 and now there are 212.

Federal law governs the price paid to dairy farmers for the milk but not the price stores may charge for the milk.  Critics of this pricing system argue that the price set by the federal government does not reflect the cost of production for the gallon of milk, especially in higher cost regions such as New England.  In 2007, the State Department of Agriculture estimated that Connecticut dairy farmers lost $1 for every gallon of milk produced.  And that was before gas prices escalated.

Recently, the dairy farms that remain were handed another blow – congress did not act on the latest farm bill.  This inaction means the farmers will not be receiving government support for the milk they produce.  Farmers fall victim to sudden spikes in feed prices when bad weather causes a poor crop year and high hauling prices as fuel prices increase.

The hang up in Washington D.C. is apparently over the federal food stamp program that is tied into the farm bill.  Some lawmakers want it stripped out and others want the food stamp program – an entitlement - kept in with restrictions.  Unfortunately, the bickering is affecting not only the families who use the food stamp program, but the farmers who need the milk subsidy.

According to published reports, Connecticut farmers received about $1.2 million last year in payments from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Milk Income Loss Program, or MILC.  The MILC program gave Connecticut farmers a subsidy when Northeast milk prices dipped below $16.95 a hundredweight and/or feed prices spiked.

An approved farm bill would have set the table for the next five years.  That allows for farmers to plan ahead.   These dairy farmers are some of the hardest working people I know.  While they fall victim to weather, spikes in feed prices and fuel prices setting a farm bill will allow them some stability to make the right decision for their business.

Meantime, there is also talk of replacing the MILC program with a Dairy Producer Margin Protection Program. This new program would reportedly give participating farmers a payout when there’s a large gap between milk prices and feed costs. Dairy farmers would also be able to purchase “insurance” to increase the amount of their payments.  Many farmers are in favor of this change.

Washington D.C. needs to act.  Unlike entitlement programs that will remain funded despite passage of any new bill, the farm subsidies need to be reauthorized by Congress, or the money will not get to the farmer.  Not only are these farmers producing milk for our residents, they are helping to produce the next generation of Connecticut’s dairy farmers, who will serve as our neighbors for years to come. One of my favorite bumper stickers I see is NO FARM NO FOOD, how true that is.

Sen. Kevin Witkos represents the 8th district towns of Simsbury, Avon, Canton, Granby, Harwinton, New Hartford, Torrington, Barkhamsted, Hartland, Colebrook, Norfolk.