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Editor’s Note: This letter was sent to us by Mr. and Mrs. Aschmann and with their permission, we thought it should be shared over the News Flash Network. The Aschmann’s have requested the letter not be altered or edited in any manner.
An Open Letter to our Elected Officials and the Public by Jim and Martha Aschmann, Jefferson County, NY.
It would be difficult to overstate the severity of the diary farm crisis at the present time. Our farm is located in an excellent agricultural area, Southern Jefferson County. We milk approximately 75 cows. We have a good land and work sharing arrangement with a neighboring 800 cow dairy farm; consequently our relatively small farm is not at a disadvantage in supplying hay and silage for our cows. We have an efficient operation and are experienced, highly proficient diary farmers.
This pst November and December we lost about $500 per month, but in January we lost $3,462; in February it looks like we will fall behind another $4,100. Based on milk price predictions, and current milk production, in March and April we will lose approximately $17,900. According to the latest prognostications, the abysmal prices may last through the summer. If so, our farm will probably lose a total of over $70,000, a dire situation for a small business that grossed $272,000 in 2008 (with expenses of $241,000, leaving $31,000 for family living) and never completely recovered from the low milk prices of 2006. We may be forced to sell out, but the people who would normally buy our cattle and machinery have no money either. We would be lucky to get 50 cents on the dollar - 37 years of hard work and good management gone. Most other dairy farmers could tell a similar story. If the country and state do not provide some meaningful help soon, many farms will be out of business and many more will be crippled for years to come.
The reality is that many people, throughout the country and state, are struggling; why worry about such a small group as dairy farmers? Because we are superb financial stimulators! Few people realize how important diary farming is to New York State. According to the Pennsylvania Center for Dairy Excellence, each dairy cow has an economic impact on its community of a staggering $13,700 PER YEAR! Farms create base dollars from which other dollars can grow. Even our relatively small farm has an impact of over a million dollars; the 800 cow farm that we work with has an economic impact of nearly $11,000,000 PER YEAR! But most people are unaware of this. Why? In our country only about 1.5% of the population are farmers. The majority of Americans have never had a conversation with a farmer in their entire lifetime. The result is that many Americans take their food supply for granted. Others develop concepts on food production that are truly absurd, and would be laughable except that the stakes for us all are so high. Americans embrace technology in nearly every aspect of their lives and yet many advocate retrograde agriculture. This concept is about as realistic as sending our soldiers to do battle clad in chain mail and armor, equipped with swords and spears. Policy makers and media are mostly from urban and suburban backgrounds and, with all due respect, can be misled by passionate, well-funded, often well-intentioned groups that are impractical and unrealistic in regards to feeding our country and world. The fact is that real farmers are virtually an endangered species. This is turning into a grave problem for our country. Who will grow our food? Though college and other training can help, it takes many years and much experience to become a competent farmer. Few non-farmers have the slightest idea as to the complexities of running a modern farm. How many more farmers does our country dare lose? When we moved to Jefferson County (from a rented farm in Indiana) in 1976, the county had approximately 960 dairy farms; there are now 231 as of the latest census. Prior to the Wall St. debacle there was a strong demand for dairy products and there will be again. Will we have the cows to meet the demand? Will we have the farmers?
According to recent research at Cornell University under the leadership of Dale Bauman, with the global population moving towards nine billion people and the food supply required over the next 40 years will approximately equal the total amount of food produced throughout the history of mankind! And yet our country gives its farmers low priority. If this does not change, and quickly, our country will have problems with its food supply. Cars, computers, and ipods are not absolutely vital to human life but air, water, and food are; of these three true necessities, food is the only one we can produce.
Free enterprise and capitalism are great producers, but it should be understood that farming is somewhat different from other business ventures. Why? Because crop growing and livestock rearing both involve living (and dying) things; Mother Nature, in one way or another, plays a big role. In order to be reasonably assured of having enough corn, beans, small grains, milk, etc., etc., we must strive to grow or produce more than we actually need. This means that most years there will be a surplus, which is an asset for our country. It’s food. We need it to live. But this asset is a major liability to the farmers because it is used to beat us down, over and over again. Our country has a strategic petroleum reserve. There are millions of dollars worth of military ordinance. But if there’s a surplus of food, and plenty to eat for all Americans, it’s the farmers who suffer. This is terribly unfair.
We need help, Yes, the way the milk price is figured needs to be changed. Why hasn’t the price of dairy products in stores dropped significantly? These issues need to be examined but changing them, though it may help in the long run, will not do anything right now. We need meaningful help very soon. And not five loaves and two fishes for every five thousand farmers. We suggest $900 per cow. Compared to what our state and country get in return, there are few, if any, expenditures our government could make that would be better investments. For the sake of our farmers but also for the benefit of our state, country, and world, please do not take the food supply for granted. Right now, dairy farmers need meaningful help. We are a tough, determined, resourceful bunch but we have a limit. That time has come. Dairy farms are great financial stimulators.
Sincerely,
James D. and Martha Aschmann Adams , NY
1 comment:
Oh my. I really hope things turn around. I have been hearing so much in the last year or 2 about milk being bad for your health, how cow's milk is for cows and humans should consume soy milk, rice milk, etc. Well, I say POOEY! How long have we been drinking cow's milk?? I mean SERIOUSLY! I LOVE cow's milk. I admit, I did try the whole soy milk thing for a while, but it just doesn't compare to cow's milk. My son is getting whole milk now, and he likes it too! I really wish people would get a clue and realize what farmers are going through and how IMPORTANT they are. We cash rent our land, so aren't DIRECTLY involved in farming, but we are still affected!
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