Dairy farms in our region are facing a crisis point. The market dynamics of the region have changed dramatically in the last 15 years.
Here in the Northeast, and especially here in New York, producers find themselves in a place whereby the issues seem to be magnified to an even greater extent as compared to other parts of the country because of the high cost of doing business. Furthermore, we are in desperate need of federal order reform in the next Farm Bill, an aggressive U.S. dairy trade policy, and we must brand our dairy region as local and regain the trust of consumers.
A reform to U.S. dairy policy and pricing will not be easy to accomplish. Politics need to be left at the door for the good of producers, processors and consumers.
I believe U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik is doing just that, and I am grateful that she recently held a dairy roundtable at Jefferson Community College to hear from the dairy producers who are struggling in her district. She is listening to the needs of her constituents, and I am hopeful that will bring about much needed change in the next Farm Bill.
Ron Robbins
Sackets Harbor
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