(Reprinted from the October 2009 Country Focus, a PFB Member publication)
 Editorial by PA Farm Bureau President Carl T. Shaffer
It’s bad enough that dairy farmers have to deal with tough decisions on their farms about how to overcome the current economic struggle for their future. It’s equally difficult that a second set of decisions must occur during the same period. Namely, what changes should be made with dairy program policies to achieve a brighter and more secure long-term future for dairying?
Farm Bureau can help only to a limited extent with the first set of decisions that are ultimately personal to each and every farmer. We have been providing our members all the information we can get our hands on so far as milk price and production cost projections for the near-term. PFB also conducted a meeting on March 19th with representatives of Pennsylvania’s agricultural credit community to explore whether avenues exist or can be found to relieve some of the financial pressures. And, the professionals of Farm Bureau’s MSC Business Services have been offering their clients the best consultation possible on immediate management decisions.
Farm Bureau can make a much larger contribution in the second area of decision-making – that being effective dairy programs and policy for the future. As an organization with dairy members of every size operation, marketing affiliation and business model, Farm Bureau is uniquely positioned to help our dairy industry decide upon sound and sensible policies. Our self-governing grassroots policy development process is an extra benefit.
Many county Farm Bureaus have gathered dairy farmers together during recent weeks to move the discussions forward. Extensive discussion guides were produced for county Farm Bureau Policy Development Committees to help our members evaluate new dairy program options – both at the state and federal levels.
Meanwhile, PFB has supported and helped advance some help for the short-term. It includes PFB’s continuing advocacy for responsive decisions by the Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board (PMMB), even though the role of the PMMB in milk pricing is limited in scope by the interstate commerce law and competitive pricing with surrounding states. Pennsylvania Farm Bureau also called upon USDA Secretary Tom Vilsak for several interim actions – which he has implemented – to achieve some milk price relief in the short-term. To help the public and government officials understand the seriousness of the dairy situation, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau prepared and distributed a background briefing paper on the dairy situation to the state’s news media.
Back to the dairy program and policy decision-making that is just ahead. A member of PFB’s Dairy Committee said something at a recent meeting that is well worth repeating and remembering. Although not his exact words, he said that the worst time to make good decisions for the long-term future of dairy farming is when dairy farmers are in their worst times. Farm Bureau wants to do much better than that.
We look forward to full discussion and sound decisions on policy resolutions that are heading to our delegate session at PFB’s State Annual Meeting in November – and to the delegate session at AFBF’s national convention in January.
Because our dairy industry is at a critical juncture, a special information session has been added to our Annual Meeting agenda. Milk pricing and dairy economics can be puzzling even to dairy farmers, and all the more complex to voting delegates who produce other commodities. At the outset of our Annual Meeting (on Monday, Nov. 16th at 10:00 a.m.), a session will be held to explain the language and mechanics of various dairy programs to help voting delegates make informed decisions related to dairy policy. Discussion of pros and cons of the dairy resolutions will be strictly reserved for the Delegate Floor.
I remember lots of challenges my dad dealt with on our dairy operation. With your support, our dairy farmers will navigate to a safe landing and secure future.
Carl T. Shaffer
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