By Brad Rach
Have you had a chance to see the new ad we are running in farm papers across the country? If not, you can look at it in this edition of the Magazine.
We’ve been getting some great responses to the ad. I’d like to hear from each of you, so be sure to call in on the number in the ad if you haven’t already done so.
The dairy farmers who have called in so far are all in favor of our efforts to put family dairy farming back on the right track. They also talk of the challenges we face—lack of markets, difficulties in getting started as a new farmer, and ways the playing field is leaning too much on the side of mega farms.
The challenges we face are real, no doubt about that. At the same time, we must be careful not to lose hope.
I’ve recently heard that if something doesn’t change soon, family dairy farming as we know it will disappear in the next decade or so. It’s too easy to hear only the second part of that prediction, that is, that family dairy farming will disappear.
The first part of that prediction is what gets my attention. It says, “if something doesn’t change.” Well, let me tell you, something is changing. That something is us, the National Farmers Organization.
We are growing and working overtime to find new ways to make sure your farm has the future it deserves.
You saw in the last issue of the Magazine that we have many new, successful marketing approaches. We’ve talked about our policy programs, too, in several recent issues.
Dick Bylsma, national milk sales director, is providing wonderful leadership on issues surrounding Federal Order reform. On top of that, we are having productive meetings with U.S. Senators and Representatives about our Structure Management Plan.
Here’s my message for those who think family dairy farming is at the end of its rope: You didn’t count on National Farmers Organization and its wonderful members and staff.
Together, we will lead the way in making sure that more of the milk produced in the United States comes from farms like yours.
