Consumers Might Complain, But Farmers Happy With Milk Prices
US - Walk into Jerry Jennisson's dairy barn, and the heat and humidity of a central Minnesota day are washed away. As 140 dairy cows quietly munch their hay, three fans 20 feet across spin on the barn's ceiling.
15 August 2007
1 minute read
"They're moving something like 237,000 cubic feet of air per minute. Cows are very sensitive to heat, so we try to do everything can to keep them cool and comfortable,"
PERSON
"They're moving something like 237,000 cubic feet of air per minute. Cows are very sensitive to heat, so we try to do everything can to keep them cool and comfortable," Jennisson said.
Comfortable cows are productive cows. That's what Jennisson wants because the milk from these cows is worth a lot more this summer than it was last year. It's Class III milk, the most common kind in Minnesota and the type used for cheese. A year ago, 100 pounds of Class III milk fetched only about $11.
"This month we'll get a little over $22, so it's really close to exactly double," Jennisson said.
The reason for the increase in milk prices is based on global economics, said Bob Lafebvre, the executive director of the Minnesota Milk Producers Association.
"What's happening in other parts of the world has an impact on the dairy industry right here in Minnesota," Lafebvre said.
The supply of milk around the world is tight because of a long-standing drought in Australia. Also, the European Union has decreased subsidies to farmers, so Europe isn't producing as much milk.
Source: Post-Bulletin
