The Western Organic Dairy Farming Crisis Coalition was put together by Straus Family Creamery, an organic creamery in California whose goal is to keep family farms going and bring life back to rural communities. Organic dairy farmers and people who work in the agricultural industry who support them are part of a coalition that wants emergency help for organic dairy farmers right away because of the drought. A press release from the coalition says that the drought has led to a huge rise in feed costs (up to 50%), feed shortages, and operating costs related to the drought.
Several organic dairies expect to lose a lot of money this year, with an average loss of $250,000. If the drought and inflation keep going, people will lose money in 2023. This year, some farmers had no choice but to close their businesses. This threatens the future of the organic dairy farming industry, affects the milk and food supply in the area, and hurts the economy in rural areas.
“Farmers have survived droughts before, but the current drought, combined with inflation and other effects, is putting dairy farmers in a tight spot like never before,” said Dayna Ghirardelli, executive director of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau. “In the many years I’ve worked with local dairy families, I’ve seen dairies think about their futures when things were hard, but they kept going because they were hopeful that things would get better. It’s different this time.”
Even though the USDA has been helping dairy farms in financial trouble for a long time, the coalition says that these programmes are not enough to save organic dairy farms in a bad situation. Some farmers are already selling their milking cows and going out of business because of the severe drought, rising feed costs, and lack of feed. Several organic dairy farmers say they may have to close up shop in the next few months.
Farmers in the U.S. make up less than 2% of the country’s work force, and about 85% of the country’s food comes from family farms. California Certifiers of Organic Farmers says that slightly more than 10% of California and just over 1% of the rest of the country are farmed in an organic way (CCOF).
Albert Straus, founder and CEO of Straus Family Creamery, said, “If we have to keep farming in this difficult climate, farmers will have to come up with more new ideas to stay in business.”
Albert Straus said that despite the drought, 2021 was one of the best years for pasture on his organic dairy farm.
Climate-positive farming practises give dairy farmers a more sustainable and profitable way to run their business, but if farmers are just trying to get by, it can be hard for them to put these practises into place. As the drought in the West continues, there isn’t nearly enough hay to feed animals. Some conventional dairy farms are now buying a small amount of organic alfalfa hay, which could leave organic dairy farms without enough food for their animals in the coming months.
“Family farms and ranches in West Marin are very important to the community,” said Stefan Parnay, who is the agricultural commissioner for Marin County. “These farms and ranches feed people in Marin County, the rest of the state, and other parts of the country with fresh, healthy food.”
Straus Family Creamery is working with state and federal politicians and agricultural agencies on behalf of the coalition. The company is driven by its mission. The coalition is holding meetings and sending letters to ask for emergency help to save organic dairy farms.
