Well yesterday we received the decision regarding the emergency CDFA hearing that was held on 12/21/12 (note, on the day of the hearing, Secretary Ross was not even there, while the room was filled with hard working dairy farmers that left their farms at 3 am to make their importance of this issue known. She obviously had more important things to do on that Friday before Christmas).
We went there, pleading that California dairy farmers receive some much needed relief. We, dairy farmers in California receive $2.00 per 100 gallons of milk less than the rest of the nation. We have the highest regulations and costs. In a nutshell it costs us more to feed our animals than what we are getting paid. (We can all thank corn being produced and mandated for Ethanol (thank them also for your higher grocery bill). This corn to ethanol is a joke and more political corruption. It is not efficient, but too many wealthy, very powerful lobbying has corrupted their mindset and throw common sense out the door.
The CDFA has it’s own cost of production costs that show this and is officially reported and published.
The cheese-makers here in California cry they will not survive if we are given any such relief. It cost them too much money to deal with their whey (the left over after cheese is made). It is a known fact that most of the cheese-makers in CA are making record profits that includes processing that valuable whey protein. They stand behind the couple that do not process it and say if they pay more they will be in dire straights. Their greed eventually will bite them as if things don’t change they will have to fight for what milk might be left in this state. They are worried about paying now? Wait till there is not enough dairies to provide milk to go around.
The frustrating part of this is that all of the other states cheese-makers are managing and profiting. I believe, ever stronger, that we need to dump our state system and join the Federal Order. It might not be any better, but it could not get much worse. Besides I would no longer be part of this greedy, regulated, state system that can not even read their own data that shows that dairies are closing weekly. Four hundred dairy families gone. It is obvious CDFA can care less. So why stay in such a system that favors only one side. At least we would be on the same playing field as the dairy farmers in the nation.
The cheese-makers have some sick-corrupt control over the CDFA. It is a dark and demented cloud. They do not appreciate the valuable economic impact we have provided and treat us as an uneducated pebble in their shoe. They believe they are saving us from ourselves and protecting us from our habitual over production.
So, in a nutshell (rounding it off)…we asked for $1.00 per hundred gallons of milk extra from the processors for 6 months of relief. We received .25cents per hundred gallons of milk for 3 months.
A true slap in our face and more proof of this unhealthy alliance between the state and processors. Though, I hope the CDFA doesn’t think that they “won” (they do have more points) but please know we have only just begun. You are dealing with a new generation of dairy farmers.
I no longer support this “TASK FARCE” trying to get producers and processors on the same page. This here proves they can not even agree to give us temporary relief when we need it the most. They see that we are short on milk. What makes us think they will work with us ever if they go against us now?
We need to demand change and continue to fight for what is right and FAIR! We need our co-ops to stand together with us and start taking control.
| CDFA announces temporary 25 cent hike for four months |
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The CDFA today released its much anticipated announcement on the Dec. 21, 2012 milk pricing hearing, saying it would temporarily increase Class 1,2,3, 4a and 4b prices by approximately $0.251/cwt for the period of Feb. 1 to May 31, 2013. The announcement by Candace gates, chief of the Dairy Marketing Branch, provided these details: The Hearing Determinations, Panel Report, Stabilization Plans and a more detailed explanation of the department’s decision can be found on the Dairy Marketing website www.cdfa.ca.gov/dairy by clicking on the Hearing Matrix. Jan. 22, 2013 CDFA Notice |
Wow I thought they would hear you. The arguments your group brought forth were well thought out and pointed. The cheap food policy we are under will someday be a big deal. Hungary people is the governments worse night mare. Keep up the good fight.
Our wealth is our ability to supply our own food. When that is gone we will be no different than the 3rd world country. Then it will be too late.
How has milk pooling helped the dairy industry? I’m still at a loss to understand this.
I agree Todd! The fact that the dairy industry has been unable to evolve and change according to the times. The processors/Co-ops got us right where they want us.
…which REALLY puzzles me since the co-ops are “supposed” to be owned by the dairy farmers. Yet they pay into the same pool as the independents and you make the same low rate for your high-quality milk as the guy down the road with lesser-quality milk.
So what again is the dairy industry doing to sell more milk? That seems to me to be the big question? In my econ 101 mind, if you can create more demand for your product, you can charge more for it… but that’s just me!