Written by: Travis Senn,Ag-vocate | Award-Winning Filmmaker
I have always been around dairy. Whether it was growing up on my parents’ small farm back in Wisconsin or working for a Florida dairy cooperative now, I have always had a rooting interest for dairy farmers. Through the years, I heard the usual complaints most dairy kids hear about milk prices, etc. However, I had very little true understanding about the shape of the dairy economy. Since coming aboard as a Market Analyst, many of my tasks include researching statistics and numbers regarding sales and production, both in the Southeast and the U.S. as a whole. What I found has me shaking with fear of what may be in the future.
You see, I grew up doing the grunt work of the farm, not getting very involved in the big picture stuff. I didn’t foresee myself pursuing a career in dairy, so why bother? I often tended to see only the best in dairy farmers: their incredible passion, staggering work ethics, endless love for their families, and so much more. I was quite shielded from the dark cloud of uncertainty and struggle that faces them. Now, I feel as if I’m completely surrounded by that same cloud, and it has me on my heels. Limited sales and increasing production leave struggling farmers with poor milk prices. Immigration reform has many producers fearing a labor shortage. Urban sprawl continues to limit land availability. Extremist groups continue to manipulate public perception. Competitive markets have left some U.S. farmers without buyers. Now, some are faced with some tough decisions. Even organic farmers, a once booming market that offered smaller producers a way to remain competitive, are faced with similar challenges.
Until recently, never once did I question the future of dairy. How could an industry that feeds so many ever fall apart? To use an old expression, I felt the system was too big to fail. There was no way. Yet, I stand here today saying to you, if we don’t do something, and do it soon, we could find ourselves in that exact predicament. It is no longer “business as usual.” I have had discussions with students pursuing degrees in dairy who have openly questioned their career paths. “Am I putting my eggs into a bottomless basket?” one student feared. Many students pursue degrees with the promise that agriculture is one of the few job sectors actually growing.It is no longer “business as usual.”
Now, dairy has faced many challenges in the past and always seemed to come out stronger because of it. Watching the Grassland situation in Wisconsin and Minnesota was tough, but seeing the dairy community come together in solidarity and find homes for most of that milk was inspiring. I have met several leaders in dairy who understand the predicament facing farmers and work tirelessly to ensure farmers are not left out in the cold. They are the best and brightest minds available, and I have the utmost faith in their abilities to lead us towards an exciting and prosperous future.
Maybe this is all hyperbole, and my fears are simply a product of the timing of my recent “education” on the underbelly of the markets. Maybe I am just a scared kid who just hadn’t seen that dark cloud until recently. I do see farmers starting to think differently. Milk prices are projected to swing back around. A new marketing campaign aims to boost awareness and perception. Regardless, dairy finds itself behind the 8-ball right now, and it won’t be an easy climb back up.
Source: LinkedIn
