Farmers gather to back dairy bill

COPENHAGEN — Farmers on Friday were urged to rally in support of proposed federal legislation that would base milk price on production cost.

"The money is there in the marketplace," Arden Tewksbury, manager of Progressive Agriculture Organization, told about 25 people — most of them dairy farmers — at the Copenhagen fire hall. "It's how we get our fair share of that money."

Mr. Tewksbury's organization, started in 1991 in Pennsylvania to establish fair farm prices, is holding farmer rallies throughout the region to build grass-roots support for the proposed Federal Milk Marketing Improvement Act.

The federal bill, sponsored by Sens. Arlen Specter and Robert P. Casey Jr., both Pennsylvania Democrats, would price all U.S.-produced milk based on the national average cost of production, prohibit dairy manufacturers from levying any operational costs — also called "make allowances" — onto farmers and require the U.S. agriculture secretary to adjust the price of milk four times per year.

It also would create an inventory management program that would provide lower prices to farmers on 1 percent to 5 percent of their production if the domestic milk supply gets too high and if dairy exports exceed imports.

The proposed pricing system would provide an average milk price of about $22.50 per hundredweight, as opposed to the $11 or $12 per hundredweight that farmers are receiving now, according to figures compiled by ProAg. Adjustments would be made to reflect regional differences in production costs, Mr. Tewksbury said.

"We think it's a great bill," he said. "We know that not everybody does."

The bill's wide-ranging features have raised opposition from not only cooperatives and dairy manufacturers, but also some farmer organizations, Mr. Tewksbury said. He urged those in the audience to contact those groups, agribusiness officials and local, state and federal representatives — particularly New York's Democratic senators, Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand — to rally support for the bill.

The average U.S. dairy farmer is expected to lose $140,000 to $150,000 this year, Mr. Tewksbury said.

"I consider myself a professional survivor," Edwards farmer Bryan R. Gotham said.

Large numbers of people aren't needed to push for changes, Mr. Gotham said.

"It just takes a few people who are loud," he said.

Mr. Gotham said the current pricing system is skewed by inaccurate dairy product supply figures and suggested farmers wouldn't need subsidies if they received fairer prices for their milk. He also expressed the fear that the U.S. dairy industry, like the clothing industry, eventually could be usurped by overseas competition.

"To me, it's a sad road to go down," Mr. Gotham said, "to be dependent on the rest of the world for our basic necessities."

Two Central New York farmers also spoke during the three-hour session.

"We have to unify and stick together on this," said Richard Becker, Mohawk.

"You guys aren't alone," said David Fitch, West Winfield. "We're all in this together."

State Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine, D-Cape Vincent, also spoke.

"I think some of our federal officials are starting to realize how important dairy is," he said.

The state senator said he met a farmer with a 2,000-cow dairy and 51 employees in Wyoming County during a round-table discussion there Wednesday.

"It was clear that if something doesn't happen, they're gone," he said. "They're out of business."

Mr. Aubertine said that new milk-pricing legislation is the best long-term solution to the situation.

However, some local farmers expressed the need for short-term fixes in order to stay in business.

Mr. Tewksbury said his organization requested that the federal government use stimulus money to artificially set a minimum milk price of $18 per hundredweight. While the idea initially was rejected, there appears to be some movement to revisit it, he said.

Mr. Aubertine said he is seeking ideas for short-term assistance to farmers from constituents and at round-table discussions throughout the state.