Tonko Calls on Federal Officials to Assist Dairy Farmers

Statement

U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko (D-Amsterdam) sent a letter Monday to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture calling for action to protect dairy farmers, who are facing a crisis that could lead to the loss of farms throughout Upstate New York. Rep. Tonko is joining other members of Congress in calling for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to buy surplus dairy products for use in federal nutrition programs, which could make up for lost demand and stabilize wholesale prices. Rep. Tonko is responding to concerns he heard directly from farmers during meetings in the district last week.

The full text of the letter is included following the release.

The wholesale price farmers are paid for milk has plummeted because of a worldwide drop in demand due to the slowing economy. At the same time, the farmers' cost to produce milk remains high, thanks to increased costs for energy, fertilizer and grain. The result is that farmers are receiving less for their milk on the wholesale market than the cost of production, leading many to predict that a prolonged recession will put many small and midsized farms out of business. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the wholesale price of milk has dropped by more than half over the past two years.

"Allowing this current trend to continue will be disastrous for many local dairy farmers," said Rep. Tonko. "We have to take steps to bolster the market and keep our local farms functioning. Dairy farms form the backbone of communities throughout upstate New York, and while consumers may see lower prices at the store as a good thing, the closure of farms will have catastrophic effects for many local communities. I will continue to look for opportunities to partner with our New York Congressional delegation to ensure that family daily farms will survive our economic downturn."

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker said, "Dairy farmers cannot survive this economy with the prices they are currently receiving. Therefore, we support the efforts of our Congressional delegation and Governor Paterson who is working closely with them to find ways to address these low milk prices and support our family dairy farmers."

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