California dairy producer prices will continue to be the lowest in the nation

TURLOCK, CA (July 23, 2012) – California Dairy Campaign (CDC) President Joe Augusto expressed the organization’s great disappointment with the decision announced today by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) regarding the state dairy pricing formula. CDC joined a coalition of dairy organizations calling on CDFA to increase the 4b or cheese price so that it is more equitable to dairy producers and the CDFA decision amounts to a minimal increase.  

“Today’s decision by CDFA is a great disappointment to our dairy producer members across the state,” stated Augusto. “Already this year more than 60 dairies in California have gone out of business because dairy producers are not paid a fair value for the milk they produce,” added Augusto. “Despite the outcry from dairy producers and organizations calling for CDFA to change the dairy pricing formula, the department failed to restore fairness to the state dairy pricing system,” he concluded.

CDC joined with a coalition of dairy organizations including California Dairies, Inc., the Dairy Farmers of America – Western Area Council, Land O’Lakes, Inc., the Security Milk Producers Association, the Milk Producers Council, and the Alliance of Western Milk Producers to call on CDFA to increase the value of whey in the 4b or cheese milk formula.

“Rarely have we seen the kind of unity calling for a producer price increase demonstrated at the CDFA hearing earlier this year,” explained Augusto. “Unfortunately the department chose to adopt a minimal increase amounting to just pennies per hundredweight which will provide little benefit to dairy producers,” concluded Augusto.

The California Dairy Campaign (CDC) is a grassroots organization of dairy farmers who are working to encourage lawmakers and the dairy industry to be more responsive to the needs of the family dairy farm in California. The CDC is a member organization of the California Farmers Union (CFU), which represents more than 1400 family farmers and ranchers of all commodities throughout California. CFU is the state chapter of National Farmers Union, which represents more than 250,000 farmers nationwide.

www.californiadairycampaign.com

Contact: Lynne McBride

Office Phone:209-632-0885

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