Dairy leader: Nation's dairy industry needs "total reform"

A family milking cows in 1943. Alfred Eisenstaedt photo

Jim Hamilton of the Marshfield Mail reports on the 2011 Missouri Dairy Forum held late in January in Springfield:

The nation’s dairy industry needs “total reform,” Rogersville dairyman Randy Mooney told a gathering of his peers Friday, Jan. 28, at the 2011 Missouri Dairy Forum at the University Plaza Hotel in Springfield.

Speaking as the chairman of the board for the National Milk Producers Federation, Mooney outlined new dairy policies developed through a collaborative effort of several dairy organizations, including Dairy Farmers of America, the nation’s leading milk marketing cooperative, where he also serves as chairman of the board.

Mooney said DFA members today face “winds of change” in the dairy industry, including increasing volatility in feed and milk prices, increased focus on margin over feed (rather than just price), and increased global trade (14 percent of dairy products are exported, only 2 percent imported).

“Extreme volatility threatens our industry,” Mooney said. DFA’s “Foundation for the Future” proposal offers protection, stability and growth.

The DFA proposal eliminates the present dairy price support program and milk income loss contract (MILC) payments, while protecting producer margins through base and supplemental programs.

The proposal also changes federal milk marketing orders to a simpler system. “We need to write new rules, and make sure we preserve dairy farmers’ income along the way,” Mooney said.

The proposal also includes a dairy market stabilization plans to address imbalances in supply and demand.

Dairy policy will be part of the next Farm Bill. The proposed reforms will have to be supported by members of Congress. Following Mooney, Jackie Klippenstein of DFA flashed pictures of Sen. Roy Blunt and Reps. Billy Long and Vickie Hartzler on a screen and said, “The dairy industry has one shot at success. Your job is to call them.”

In addition chairing the NMPF and DFA boards, Mooney is a member of the Missouri State Milk Board, Hiland Dairy board, Southern Marketing Agency, the Dairy Cooperative Marketing Agency and the Fluid Milk Processor board.

He and wife, Jan, operate a dairy on the Greene-Christian counties line.

Other topics addressed at the Jan. 28 forum were fly control, milk quality, cattle worms and rumen efficiency.

Held in conjunction with the annual Missouri Holstein Association meeting, the 2011 Missouri Dairy Forum was sponsored by the Missouri Dairy Association, Missouri Brown Swiss Association, Missouri Guernsey Breeders Association, Missouri Jersey Cattle Club, Missouri Dairy Growth Council and the Sho-Mo Dairy Heifer Growers Association, as well as the Holstein group.

The two-day event was also supported by more than 50 Missouri agribusiness, association and agency exhibitors and sponsors.

Last October, prior to the election, when Billy Long was filling out "jillions of surveys", on one of them he wrote that he was against farm subsidies. He later modified his statement to mean that he was against farm subsidies to big corporate farms but not to family farms. (Note Billy's reference to "they" in the story. Who's "they"? Maybe it's an algebraic term, like "x", meaning an unknown quanity or, in this case, "they" is a known unknown?)

The comment on that post is interesting enough to stand alone:

Anonymous said...

Milk marketing orders have made it more favorable to produce milk Texas,New Mexico, Oklahoma and Kansas. Missouri's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) made it virtually impossible to produce milk in this area because of regulatory restrictions. In fact, most of our dairy cows were sold at auction to find new homes on the golaith farms out West.

The once great milkshed (milk producing area) of Southwest Missouri was ruined by Mid America Dairymen. MidAm's attitude was that they would rather have one trailerload of milk produced on a hugh farm out West than have to have 100 farmers produce the same quantity in Southwest Missouri.

At one time, our area was the largest milk producing milkshed between Wisconsin and Texas. The benefits were many. Dairy farm income was spend with local businesses and the local and farm economy grew.

Now, about 85% of the fluid milk we consume comes from this area. The rest comes from out West.

We have former MidAM executive Gary Hanman and the idiot board members like that guy from Purdy, Missouri to thank for that.

What does this have to do with Billy Long? Well it's pretty simple.

City Boy Billy does not know which end of the cow the hay goes in and which end the crap comes out. But again, he is spouting off about something he knows nothing about.

Pity the poor farmer with him in Washington. And, the rest of us.
10/19/2010 3:18 PM