Dairy Farm Numbers Fall, Convene Mood Upbeat

By Brad Rach

The dairy news is all about staggering losses in dairy farm numbers. On top of that, Congress can’t seem to do anything to bring us a new farm bill that would help family farms that need it the most. So why was the mood at our dairy workshop so upbeat this year?

A good part of it, I know, is that the more you see of our wonderful staff, the more blessed you are bound to feel. Dick Bylsma, our former sales director, gave us an insider’s look at what to expect from the Federal Milk Marketing Order hearings.

Lesley Ollies, our new milk sales director, told us how her life-long connection to dairy co-ops led her to NFO. Jim Hayes, our new vice president, updated us on the great work our staff is doing to meet the new challenges that field work presents.

There’s something else, too—if ever there was a time for our market-based approach to be the way to go, now is that time. Michael Mackey, director of field operations, presented the survey of dairy consumers we commissioned. It held nothing but good news for farmers like you. Here are some highlights:

• When consumers hear the words family farm, they think of farms just like yours. The farmer works day-to-day on the farm, the farmer grows feed, and the farm itself is relatively small.
• Consumers are overwhelmingly in favor of purchasing products from family farms.
• Consumers are willing to pay more for the milk produced on farms like yours.
• Consumers recognize and value the way farms like yours support healthy rural economies and protect the environment./li>

Our biggest problem is that consumers don’t know where milk comes from anymore. Your milk loses its identity in transit and in processing plants. Our Always Family Farms project is designed to fix that problem by certifying that the milk you produce comes from farms like the ones consumers prefer most.

As always, I and the entire dairy staff are working toward only one goal—your success as a family dairy farmer. Stay tuned for more details on how the Always Family Farms program is developing.