To the Editor:The Federal Order #1 Market Administrator has announced the blend price for Order #1 during the month of march 2017 is $17.30 per cwt. (hundredweight). This is positively ridiculously low. Once you move away from Boston, it drops down and could be down as low as $16.50 per cwt. in some areas.
This will be approx. $6 per cwt. below the national average cost of production. If this price announcement does not get dairy farmers roused up and want to do something, then nothing ever will.
How much longer can our elected officials and the USDA stand by and allow these prices to force undreds of dairy farmers out of business this spring. When will the Ag committees of the Senate and the House get on the ball and start having hearings across the country and listen to dairy farmers who will say exactly how bad it is down on the farm.
However this time, dairy farmers have to stand up and demand that action be taken. Spring planting will soon be here and many dairy farmers will not be able to do their planting.
Dairy farmers are not in a near crisis, they are actually in a crisis. It is time for the Trump administration to stand up and take immediate action if you want to make America great again. They cannot allow the demise of the American dairy farmer.
Arden Tewsbury, Pro-Ag
Editor’s note: Pro-Ag can be reached at 570-833-5776.