Pocono News Section

Dairy Farmers Rally for Federal Help

Dairy Farmers Rally for Federal Help - Thursday, April 3, 2008 at 2:36PM EST

Reported by: David DeCosmo
Thursday, Apr 3, 2008 @02:36pm EST
MESHOPPEN, WYOMING COUNTY- Dairy farmers from Northeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New York staged a rally in Wyoming County Thursday morning. The farmers are calling for Federal legislation that would tie the price of milk to their production costs.

One of the speakers was Huge Rodham, Senator Hillary Clinton's brother. The farmers say their production costs are increasing while the price they get for the milk they produce continues to drop.

According to the 'Progressive Agriculture Organization' the price for farm diesel fuel has gone up from $2.25 cents a gallon in 2007 to $3.94 cents a gallon currently. Fertilizer costs have increased over $100 a ton over the save period as have some feed costs.

A sign displayed for those attending the rally proclaimed, "There are only 59,135 Licensed Dairy Farms left in the whole United States."

Farmer Kenneth Teel who hosted the rally said that unless legislation is adopted to tie milk prices with production costs more dairy farmers will be forced out of business.