Dairy and the Disconnect

First of all, I'm not a farmer. I'm a farmer's wife and I've only been a farmers wife for 6 years now. So I'm not writing this from the view and standpoint of a farmer or someone who knows everything that there is to know about the industry because I'm still learning. My viewpoint comes from the sidelines, I watch my husband have conversations on the topic, I listen when he tells me about what is going on and I read fact-based and scientifically correct articles published by industry professionals, farmers, and scientist who know what they are talking about, the ones who live it and breathe it, every single day.

I once was a naive consumer standing in front of the dairy case at the supermarket studying all of the different types of milk, the ones that boasted their claims of being organic, grass-fed, antibiotic free (all milk, ALL MILK, is antibiotic free) and I, unfortunately, bought the prettiest bottle with the best sounding marketing campaign-- I mean it was all quite confusing at that time but then plant-based milk exploded in the marketplace and people lost their darn minds. I mean, this must be heaven right?! The cartons were screaming in our faces that they were the healthier choice, the right choice, the 'delicious difference' that we were all waiting on. But generations of people were raised on whole dairy milk, a glass of milk with breakfast, lunch, and dinner-- and then one day someone somewhere said 'Hey, I think milk is bad for us, dairy farming is cruel, we should find an alternative.'  Now, I love a handful of crunchy almonds, I kind of like coconut but they're not milk, they don't create milk, they create a juice, a juice with less protein and less nutritional values than dairy. And, when you look at the market dairy is still at the top but the disconnect in information between the farmer and the consumer is driving people in hordes to switch to a dairy 'alternative' which drives the need for dairy production down.

I'm sure you've seen very recently in the news or on your facebook feed that there is a crisis in the dairy industry, a serious problem facing American farmers-- especially our neighbors and friends right here in our own county. Forty-four nearby and neighboring farmers received their 90-day notices and lost either contract as of this past week. And, as soon as Facebook started asking people if they wanted to change their profile picture to state ' I support dairy farmers.' I started receiving numerous messages from friends and family wondering what was happening and if we were ok. Yes, we are alright, milk prices are at record lows, there's an oversaturation and supply of milk and with a broken federal pricing system things can look a little dark. But, thankfully by the grace of God, we are ok, for now. What will the dairy industry look like a year from now? Two years from now? Five years from now? We don't know, my husband doesn't know, nobody knows but anything can change for the good or bad- god willing for the good. So, friends, we are ok-- for now.

But, many, many, other farmers and farm families are not ok, they are either getting milk contract termination letters causing them to have to sell their entire life's work, their herd, their equipment, land, and homes or the price of milk is simply driving them out of business. Currently, 97% of the US dairy farms are family-owned, multigeneration operations that have spanned many decades and seen many things happen in this industry from record low milk prices to record high prices like the ones we saw in 2014. We are now entering the fourth year of record low milk prices and as the milk prices drop the number of suicides seen in farmers is rising. Most are barely breaking even every month and it's not uncommon for a farm to carry a heavy debt load, especially when you try and keep your equipment up to date, your herd well-cared for and your buildings in good working and safe order.

What is the answer? How do we turn the industry around? I don't know. My farmer doesn't know. His friends and colleagues do not know. Prayer? Hopefully. A boost in people actually purchasing milk and dairy? Possibly. A better conversation between farmer and consumer? Maybe. With so many unknowns all I can say right now is, go enjoy some dairy, don't be afraid of it-- have an extra piece of cheese, yogurt, ice cream, it all helps. And- if you really, really, really are against consuming dairy products then just simply thank a farmer, they are proud and prideful people. They are proud of their accomplishments, the operations that they have built and they feel pride in their work, their livelihood, the one where they put in tireless hours cultivating and producing a quality product for you-- the consumer. Lastly, pray for the industry as a whole (if you are the praying kind) pray for the suicide numbers to drop, for these farmers to feel like there is another way and for all of the families who are affected and will be affected if things would happen to not turn around anytime soon.