Current Events

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June is Dairy Month!

Consumers-support your local dairy farmers by enjoying your favorite dairy product with family and friends.
Producers-Now is the perfect time to reach out to your customers-host an open farm day, give free samples, or anything else that allows you to share your love and profession with the world.

VT Secretary of Ag Petitions Secretary Vilsack

For Immediate Release:March 15, 2010
Contact:
Kelly Loftus 802-828-3829
Secretary Allbee Joins Northeast Agriculture Commissioners Asking USDA
to Consider Reinstating The Federal Price Support
Move could help strengthen, stabilize prices for Vermont and Northeast dairy farmers


Vermont Secretary of Agriculture Roger Allbee recently joined his counterparts in the Northeast to write USDA Secretary Thomas Vilsack encouraging him to consider the benefits of reinstating the federal support price for cheddar block and barrel cheese and non-fat dry milk back to the levels established by USDA last August. The action was coordinated by New York Commissioner of Agriculture Pat Hooker. “We are writing to add our voice to those you have heard in saying that the current pricing system is outdated, broken and needs to be addressed,” said Secretary Allbee. “In fact the current system devalues fresh, locally produced milk, potentially impacting our food safety.” The price for milk and cheese and non-fat dry milk has been extremely volatile over the last several months and recently has fallen dramatically. This situation is impacting the expected recovery in farm milk prices and will have a devastating impact on farm finances as farmers enter the 2010 planting and growing season. “Increasing the support price for cheddar cheese and non-fat dry milk had a profound and positive impact on the market last year with little cost to government. That same positive impact can again assist our struggling dairy farmers. I appreciate Commissioner Hookers leadership on this request and wholly support it,” said Allbee. Secretary Allbee commended USDA Secretary Vilsack on the attention USDA has taken to support the dairy industry and for visiting Vermont last month to hear straight from dairy farmers what they are experiencing. “While it may be difficult to sort through all the options and come to a consensus within the dairy industry, doing nothing is not an option. If this particular dairy crisis does not move the industry to act, the consequences will be disastrous for our dairy farmers, in fact we are already seeing the ramifications,” commented Allbee. “This action would be one option to ensure a fresh local supply for our consumers and a fair price paid to our farmers who produce it.” The economic impact of Vermont’s dairy industry is over $2 billion per year supporting thousands of jobs and rural communities across the state. Vermont is the largest supplier of milk to the Boston area. Currently, the cost of production of milk is far more than the price paid to farmers for their milk and over 50 operations ceased in 2009 drastically changing our communities and threatening our open, working landscape.  

Vonn's A Big Cheese

U.S. Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn won a gold medal on February 17th after treating her shin injuries with a topfen cheese compress! Vonn had seriously injured her shins a couple of weeks ago during a training run and feared she would not be able to compete in the Olympics.  Topfen cheese is a curd cheese that comes from cows.  It is rare in the west but popular in Austria, Germany, Poland, and Russia.
source: Vancouver Sun, MSNBC

Ag Secretary Visits Vermont

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Secretary Vilsack
Things may be looking up for desperate dairy farmers. The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, recently visited Vermont to discuss dairymen and women’s frustrations and attend meetings of NOFA, the Northeast Organic Farmers Association and Saint Albans Cooperative Creamery. With the current economy and milk price volatility, farmers are trying to get their voices heard; calling for change and a fairer market system that will help farmers survive.  The current nationwide milk pricing system is over seventy years old, and is simply not stable enough to sustain farmers of all sizes.  Vilsack says he understands this: “We are also hopeful that the dairy committee that we’ve put together…will come up with a consensus approach to deal with the issue of volatility, price volatility.” He told farmers, “We think there are solutions out there”. 
At the NOFA meeting, Vilsack spoke of the importance of the organic movement and how it is growing in all regions of the country.
The governor of Vermont, Jim Douglas sat in at the Saint Albans meeting. There Vilsack discussed his national dairy council.  He stressed the importance of dairy farmers working together as a nation, rather than working in regional groups and interests.  “What we ought to be focused on is not the regional differences that separate us, but the economic challenge that confronts us all”.


Source: WCAX News


New Milk Production Record Holder

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Ever-Green-View My 1326-ET
Ever-Green-View My 1326-ET is the new world record holder for most milk produced in a lactation.  She is a four year old Holstein owned by Thomas J. Kestell of Wisconsin.  She produced 72,170 lbs of milk in 365 days, which equates to 8,295 gallons. Her butterfat production was 2,787 pounds and she produced 2,142 pounds of protein. Congratulations!
source: Hoard's Dairyman

Yellowtail Wine Donates $100,000 to HSUS

        Yellowtail wine has recently donated $100,000 dollars to the Humane Society of The United States (HSUS) as part of a program called “Tails For Tails”.  This effort has infuriated farmers, hunters, and other citizens that are in disagreement with HSUS’ agenda.  Contrary to what you might think upon hearing the name, HSUS is in no way affiliated with your local animal shelter.  In actuality, they are an animal rights group, similar to People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).  Most of the money that this organization raises has been shown to go towards lawsuits and corporate paychecks, rather than helping actual animals.  HSUS believes that meat and animal products are not for use by humans, which has led to an outcry against the Yellowtail donation by agricultural advocates and farmers.  A number of online communities have started anti-HSUS and anti-Yellowtail campaigns, including the Facebook page “YellowFAIL”.  Videos have been posted on YouTube showing farmers dumping Yellowtail wine down the toilet and onto the ground.  Yellowtail received many comments on their Facebook page and other media sources, and has now earmarked the money to be used for HSUS’ “Animal Rescue Team”.  Still, “agvocates”, The U.S. Sportsman’s Alliance, and other groups are not pleased and are making their voice heard. 

Sources: Farm & Dairy, Facebook