A dairy farmer's trade group is expanding a program where the price of milk is kept at higher levels by providing incentives to farmers to slaughter
some of their herd, and reducing the available supply. This program is described as being "popular" with farmers since it increases their profits,
with one farmer quoted reporting a 10-fold return on his investment. The goal at this point is to reduce the milk supply as much as 931 million pounds
this year, up from 600 million pounds the program reduced the supply by last year.
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Greg Jans, a dairy farmer in Grove City, Minn., about 90 miles west of Minneapolis, said he sold 100 of his 320 cows for slaughter in the program's
first year. He received about $80,000 from the dairy group in exchange for reducing his herd size. He used the money to upgrade his farm
operations.
Jans said he was not concerned that higher milk prices would drive away customers.
"I don't think that will ever happen," Jans said. "We'll never get to a point where our product gets too expensive."
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First of all, milk prices have gone through the roof over the past year as it is. This is being done specifically to assure they do not go back down
again to resonable levels. I am finding it difficult to swallow the attitude here that the consumer will pay any price for their product so they are
justified in driving up the prices by flat out manipulation of the market.
Meanwhile, they could probably just cut production by stopping the use of growth hormones, providing us with a better product for the price we are
paying. I have always believed that it is important to keep the farmers in business, even if that includes subsidies, but I find myself now losing
support for at least this group.
I think we are being taken for a ride on this one. Personally, I wish there was a way, if I have to pay this much for milk, that the milk was not the
adulterated garbage we have been consuming for years. I'll pay more for their milk if they give me a better product, but not soley to assure a
10-fold profit for them which stikes me a just plain disregard and greed.
[edit on 11-12-2004 by Banshee]