Post by Clipper on Mar 29, 2010 15:12:40 GMT -5
Arcuri is taking a stand for local upstate dairy farmers. I applaud his efforts and his ability to understand the significant impact on the upstate economy of agriculture industry.
In the letter sent yesterday, Arcuri and his colleagues ask the USDA to increase support prices for cheese and non-fat dried milk through the DPPSP, through which the government purchases dairy products directly from producers and processors to reduce over-supply and increase prices. This move will increase the amount paid directly to dairy farmers, still recovering from the 2009 price crisis.(quoted from article on todays UDN page)
Last fall they were successful in getting USDA to increase support prices for whole milk to increase the price paid to farmers, helping them to gain a little ground in a climate where production costs were more than profit from the sale of the product.
For the average citizen, it is hard to comprehend the process by which products get from farm to table, or the costs associated with that process, but farmers today are struggling with high fuel costs, and other production costs that are forcing the family farm into oblivion.
I would suggest that ALL of us take heed. ALL of us should read every article that appears concerning agriculture in the upstate area. It is not "somebody else's problem", it is OURS. We have family farms such as Countrygal and her husband run, that milk upwards of 5-600 cows and till over 1000 acres to provide feed for them. Those farmers need our help and our support. Those large enterprises have a significant impact on the local economy. Those farmers buy thousands of dollars worth of neccessary products to support their operation every day from local sources.
Does anyone have any idea of how much seed and fertilizer has to be purchased to plant and grow 1000 acres of corn? I don't, but I imagine it seriously impacts the income of the local vendor that sells it to the local farmer.
Any idea of how much diesel fuel it takes to till or plant even 100 acres. Neither do I but multiply that by 10 for the 1000 acres, and think what an impact that has on the bottom line of the local oil company that sells the farmer his fuel, and what it costs the farmer to buy it.
Take a late night ride on the Thruway some night as I used to do when I was driving a truck and see how many upstate jobs are created by the companies owning all those milk tankers you will see heading for NY City. Take a ride to Oneida and check out the number of trailers loaded and pulled out of the Dairylea plant there.
When one drives through the country and sees beautiful fields of corn swaying in the breeze, take a minute to realize what it cost to put it there and the impact if the crop is destroyed or fails.
Bottom line is this. Farmers are hard working and dedicated Americans. Farmers put every bite of food on your table with the exception of the chemically produced garbage that is part of some of our diets. Farmers touch every one of us daily.
Take a ride through the countryside, and look at all the land that would become brush and weeds if dairy farmers are not able to succeed and thrive. Do we want our beautiful upstate countryside to fall into ruin and become abandoned and falling down barns and fields of sumac and milk weeds?
THANK YOU FOR READING MY IMPASSIONED PLEA ON THE BEHALF OF UPSTATE FARMERS AND THANK YOU MICHAEL ARCURI FOR YOUR SUPPORT. I am a country boy at heart and my fondest memories of my teen years involve the wholesome life of living and working on area family owned dairy farms. Most of which are long gone because they were too small to survive. THINK OF A FARMER WHEN YOU PICK UP THAT GLASS OF MILK.
In the letter sent yesterday, Arcuri and his colleagues ask the USDA to increase support prices for cheese and non-fat dried milk through the DPPSP, through which the government purchases dairy products directly from producers and processors to reduce over-supply and increase prices. This move will increase the amount paid directly to dairy farmers, still recovering from the 2009 price crisis.(quoted from article on todays UDN page)
Last fall they were successful in getting USDA to increase support prices for whole milk to increase the price paid to farmers, helping them to gain a little ground in a climate where production costs were more than profit from the sale of the product.
For the average citizen, it is hard to comprehend the process by which products get from farm to table, or the costs associated with that process, but farmers today are struggling with high fuel costs, and other production costs that are forcing the family farm into oblivion.
I would suggest that ALL of us take heed. ALL of us should read every article that appears concerning agriculture in the upstate area. It is not "somebody else's problem", it is OURS. We have family farms such as Countrygal and her husband run, that milk upwards of 5-600 cows and till over 1000 acres to provide feed for them. Those farmers need our help and our support. Those large enterprises have a significant impact on the local economy. Those farmers buy thousands of dollars worth of neccessary products to support their operation every day from local sources.
Does anyone have any idea of how much seed and fertilizer has to be purchased to plant and grow 1000 acres of corn? I don't, but I imagine it seriously impacts the income of the local vendor that sells it to the local farmer.
Any idea of how much diesel fuel it takes to till or plant even 100 acres. Neither do I but multiply that by 10 for the 1000 acres, and think what an impact that has on the bottom line of the local oil company that sells the farmer his fuel, and what it costs the farmer to buy it.
Take a late night ride on the Thruway some night as I used to do when I was driving a truck and see how many upstate jobs are created by the companies owning all those milk tankers you will see heading for NY City. Take a ride to Oneida and check out the number of trailers loaded and pulled out of the Dairylea plant there.
When one drives through the country and sees beautiful fields of corn swaying in the breeze, take a minute to realize what it cost to put it there and the impact if the crop is destroyed or fails.
Bottom line is this. Farmers are hard working and dedicated Americans. Farmers put every bite of food on your table with the exception of the chemically produced garbage that is part of some of our diets. Farmers touch every one of us daily.
Take a ride through the countryside, and look at all the land that would become brush and weeds if dairy farmers are not able to succeed and thrive. Do we want our beautiful upstate countryside to fall into ruin and become abandoned and falling down barns and fields of sumac and milk weeds?
THANK YOU FOR READING MY IMPASSIONED PLEA ON THE BEHALF OF UPSTATE FARMERS AND THANK YOU MICHAEL ARCURI FOR YOUR SUPPORT. I am a country boy at heart and my fondest memories of my teen years involve the wholesome life of living and working on area family owned dairy farms. Most of which are long gone because they were too small to survive. THINK OF A FARMER WHEN YOU PICK UP THAT GLASS OF MILK.
