Dairy ‘Herd’ Protests in D.C
Posted: July 22, 2009
It would have been quite a sight to see a group of farmers dressed as cattle on the green in Washington D.C. Sick and tired of the down markets and troubling times plaguing the dairy industry today, a group or “herd” of dairy producers marched to D.C. to have their voices be heard. As reported by Jerry Hagstrom of Agweek, here is the scoop on a dairy herd protest in D.C.
Small dairy farmers donned cow suits July 14 in Washington to protest that that they had been excluded from a House Agriculture subcommittee hearing on plummeting raw milk prices, and House Agriculture Chairman Collin Peterson, D-Minn., dropped in on the hearing to announce that the subcommittee should hold two more hearings before Congress’ August break.
Milk prices have dropped by half within a year, and dairy farmers with operations of all sizes have said they are in dire financial trouble. The Agriculture Department already has bought nonfat dry milk and authorized export subsidies, but the farmers say they need more help to stave off bankruptcy.
Theresa Ingram Said,
July 24, 2009 @ 1:19 pm
We need to focus on our homeland, the very heart of our Country is our farmers. Yes, we need a higher employment, but first we need nutrition. How can this be overlooked. Just stop and think, where our food comes from and no, I don’t mean The Store. Some people do not percieve the whole concept. We should consider our land as a precious commodity. I do not desire to have everything I eat to be imported. What a shame that we my become dependent on others to supply our needs!!