Wisconsin dairy farmers caught in Canada trade flap scramble for answers

[riversedge]

Wisconsin dairy farmers caught in Canada trade flap scramble for answers


http://www.jsonline.com/story/money/business/2017/04/15/wisconsin-dairy-farmers-caught-canada-trade-flap-scramble-answers/100484836/



Rick Barrett , Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Published 8:32 p.m. CT April 15, 2017 | Updated 2 hours ago


The dairy farms threatened by the Canadian trade dispute are family businesses representing the cultural and economic heart of rural Wisconsin. Wochit
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(Photo: Michael Sears, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
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Suppose you get an unsigned letter, and it looks like junk mail, but the message is that in 30 days your livelihood, your home and your family’s legacy are in great peril.

That’s what happened to about 75 Wisconsin dairy farmers this month when they learned their milk buyer was dropping them, effective May 1, and they didn’t have another place to sell their highly perishable product.

These farms can’t just stop milking the cows. It’s three times a day, 365 days a year, regardless if there’s a buyer for what they produce.

What’s more, in many cases these farmers’ income, land, family history and future is tied to cows, decades of farm improvements, and having a reliable buyer for the milk........................

[TheBlackAdder]

1. BigAg wants those bankruptcies so they can come in and seize their farms at auction.

[Historic NY]

2. Overproduction....

wait until the Trump Mexico trade war heats up. Mexico will stop buying corn.

This milk thing happens just about every year, of course pricing is all over the map. The government used to stock pile excess cheese and convert milk to powder.

20+ yrs ago we didn't have self milking almonds, and any other variety of products calling itself milk. If they want to blame someone blame the lobbyists that paid off their politicians for the labeling.