Farmers Struggling in Dairy Business
US - Dairy farmers are struggling to survive and their future is uncertain. Some have already sold the farm and gotten out of the business, a business that started several generations ago.
25 January 2007
1 minute read
Darrell Masker has been a farmer all his life. "My grandfather did it. My father's done it. I'm a fourth generation farmer. That's all I've ever done. It's probably all I ever will do,” he says.
Darrell is in the worst financial shape of his life. He bought this farm 23 years ago. He has 700 cows, but less than half of them are old enough to produce milk.
He has a lot invested in his farm, and a lot to lose. "The price of milk has flat lined. It stayed around the $12 to $14 mark and the input costs are up. The fuel, fertilizer, seed, cattle prices are up and we need more money,” he says.
A gallon of milk at the store costs around $3 to $4. Regardless of price, dairy farmers across New York State are only getting $1.11 for this gallon of milk.
Darrell says there’s not enough money for him to pay the bills, so he bought more cattle to make more milk. But that's enough either.
Source: 9WSYR
