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Dairy Farmers Going Udders Up

Economy slams cow tenders

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 12, 2009 4:48 PM CST

(Newser) – Dairy farmers are struggling to survive in the face of huge drops in the price they get for milk, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Though grocery store prices have stayed relatively constant, farmers are now getting just $10 for each hundred pounds of milk they sell, down from $20 in June. It costs the farmers $19.20 to produce that amount.

“Not a single farm in California is going to be able to pay its bills this month with their milk,” said one dairy farmer, predicting that 5-10% of farms would close. Many farmers want the government to pay more for the surplus milk it buys to help farmers weather hard times. After all, reasons one farm representative, “You can’t just turn the cows off.”

Selma Lozoya checks stocks of milk, yogurt and fruit juices at Los Compoadres Market, which has a good variety of healthful food available, in South Los Angeles Friday, Aug. 22, 2008.
Selma Lozoya checks stocks of milk, yogurt and fruit juices at Los Compoadres Market, which has a good variety of healthful food available, in South Los Angeles Friday, Aug. 22, 2008.   (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
Dairy cows look out from their feeding stalls at Tim Forry's Oregon Dairy Farm in Lititz, Pa., Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008.
Dairy cows look out from their feeding stalls at Tim Forry's Oregon Dairy Farm in Lititz, Pa., Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008.   (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Cows eat at a dairy farm in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2008.
Cows eat at a dairy farm in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2008.   (AP Photo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 3 comments
PosterNutbag
Jan 13, 2009 6:18 AM CST
Only organic milk, please.
atris999
Jan 13, 2009 1:37 AM CST
didn't the US gov pay farmers to dump their milk no to long ago? (and I agree on buying organic, too bad everything is ultra pasteurized. It ruins the flavor.)
Guest
Jan 12, 2009 5:14 AM CST
I feel so badly for the few family farms that are left. I come from a farming family, and it is one of the most difficult jobs around. Losing the family farms is losing a huge part of our national heritage.

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