Farmers warn of high milk prices without farm bill
Source: AP
MILWAUKEE (AP) Dairy farmers expressed frustration this week with Congress failure to pass a farm bill, saying the uncertainty made it hard to do business and some could go under without changes to the federal milk program.
Farmers also worried that if a current nine-month extension of the 2008 farm bill expires with no action, a 64-year-old law will kick in, sending milk prices spiraling. While that might provide short-term profits, they say, it'd hurt them in the long run because no one wants to buy milk at $6 a gallon.
The U.S. House voted down a farm bill June 20, about a week after the Senate approved a different version. It was the second year in a row that the House failed to pass the every-five-years bill that sets funding for agriculture and food programs. Last year, it didn't even vote, prompting the passage in January of a slimmed-down extension of the 2008 law largely to avoid milk prices sharply increasing.
The Agricultural Act of 1949 sets a much higher price for government purchases of cheese, butter and other dairy products than the U.S. has seen in decades. The government cut the price in recent decades because if it didn't, more companies would sell to the government than to retailers, unless consumer prices rose to match.
Read more: http://www.themonitor.com/news/apnews/article_3d13a65c-e05b-11e2-af61-0019bb30f31a.html
Lugal Zaggesi
(366 posts)just can't survive in the real world without lots of Government assistance.
Socialists.
Travis_0004
(5,417 posts)If milk cost 6.00 to manufacture, then sell it for 6.00, sales will go down, but I doubt an extra 3.00 a week will affect most people.
TexasTowelie
(112,619 posts)if the price of butter doubled?
Lugal Zaggesi
(366 posts)American kids would drink cheaper soda, jettison their healthy-food diet, and become obese.
Oh wait, that's already happening:
Trajan
(19,089 posts)It's time to stop the invisible socialism that the dairy farmers have received for decades, and which they seem to forget they receive when it's time to chastise Democrats ...
Sales will drop ... prices will drop accordingly when inventories increase ... It's that invisible hand thingy ...
madrchsod
(58,162 posts)idaho is the only "red state" in the top five.
zbdent
(35,392 posts)to put steroids in the milk cows' feed any longer ...
DeSwiss
(27,137 posts)madrchsod
(58,162 posts)price stabilization is one way to ensure a stable price for the farmers and consumers. contrary to popular opinion 6 dollar a gallon milk would be really ,really bad for the consumer.
Marrah_G
(28,581 posts)A couple years ago I switched to Organic milk, even though I am on a limited budget, and I just use less of it. I know not everyone can do that, especially with kids, but for myself it was worth using less when it tastes so much better.
BronxBoy
(2,286 posts)but organic and sustainable agriculture as well. Every single USDA program that helps small farmers, beginning ranchers and farmers and programs aimed at sustainability are all tied up in the Farm bill. It'd about more than just commodity payments
tazkcmo
(7,304 posts)It's already expensive for some of us. It's 5% of my bi-weekly income. Fortunately I save in other areas (rent split 50%) but your average family is cringing every time they go down the dairy isle.
Trajan
(19,089 posts)And healthier too ...
I haven't bought real milk in months ...
auburngrad82
(5,029 posts)auburngrad82
(5,029 posts)Actually, since most farms are now owned by a handful of corporations, I could care less if the subsidies are no longer payed. Back in the day the subsidies supported small farms. Now they pad the profits of major corporations.
TexasTowelie
(112,619 posts)I read the online newspaper in Lubbock. One of the bloggers there is called "Mr. Conservative" who has Obama Derangement Syndrome and continuously makes derogatory comments about the Progressive Left and calls them socialists. Since 1995 "Mr. Conservative" has received a check each year and they've totaled over $65,000 during that time. "Mr. Conservative" is actually Mr. Hypocrite who has milked the government teat his entire life He entered the Air Force when he received government training as an eye surgeon and through his career at the Texas Tech Health Science Center where he was demoted from chair of the department and eventually terminated because of his holier-than-thou attitude and possible involvement in bilking the Medicare program. And of course, he sued the TTHSC even though we know how Republicans feel about tort lawsuits. So every penny that doesn't end up in the hands of people that are so vile is actually a victory for us on the "Progressive Left".
4bucksagallon
(975 posts)Hard to get milk here in the Philippines most "milk" is of the powdered, dry, comes in a box or can as cream, condensed or evaporated. Some recipes are hard to make without real milk but since there is not much for an alternative what can one do? Good to see the subsidizing end at least for the big corporations hope they will put something in place strictly for the small dairy herds. However special interest groups and lobbyists will see that doesn't happen. My neighbor back home ran a small dairy farm, less than 100 jersey cows, and it was some of the best raw milk one could get. More cream in one gallon than I got by going to the store and buying a pint of heavy cream. Mmmmmmmmm good on fresh wild strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. Wow, makes me miss my native fruits.
Doctor_J
(36,392 posts)Maybe these farmers will come to their senses and start voting (D). but I doubt it. I'm sure when they're in their fields their radios are tuned to right-wing hate