San
Luis Obispo -- Experts say as many as 100 California dairy farms will shutdown
by the end of this year unless something is done to help. California is the
leading dairy state in the nation. The state's dairy business generates
50-billion dollar a year and
provides more than 400-thousand jobs.
The
Cal Poly Dairy is the only dairy remaining in San Luis Obispo County.
The
dairy unit is paying more for feed now just like dairy farmers across the state
who are struggling to afford feed for their dairy cows. Many are sending cows
to slaughter.
Cal
Poly Professor, Dr. Stan Henderson says dairy farmers need help right now. He blames the problem on the drought
that sent corn prices and subsequently feed prices to record highs, on the
production of ethanol, and the state's milk pricing system.
Dairy
farmers also say the state controlled price of milk needs to be increased. They
protested at the capitol last week asking the California Secretary of Food And
Agriculture to raise the price for milk used to produce cheese. Dr. Henderson says,
"It's going to be really long and really difficult but a way to solve it is to
change the state support system of milk pricing."
The
California Department of Food And Agriculture says the price of fluid milk will
go up in November and likely again in December. The minimum price of milk has gone up about 30-percent since June.
Many
farmers are concerned that help won't come in time to save more than a hundred
state dairies that are now on the verge of going under. While the price for
fluid milk is going up and consumers
might pay a little more at the grocery store next month the increase has little
affect on dairy farmers. They say
they would benefit from an increase in the price of milk used in cheese
production In fact the milk
producer's council is part of a lawsuit against the state filed in August claiming
the state has failed to follow the law by refusing to bring up the price of
milk used in cheese making .
