Got safe milk? Not for long. New York's dairy farms are going bankrupt due to unfair business practices. Why should we care? Losing our dairy farms will endanger our health, our economic wellbeing, and, ultimately, our national security.
(This is not a bail-out since milk is based on a contrived and controlled pricing structure that must change. This is essential support to correct unfair pricing. Milk is not sold on a free-market basis. It is tied to a very restrictive, antiquated pricing scheme which is ineffective.)
In the meantime, big business dairy producers are buying milk from Mexico and China who have lower health standards. These products are replacing our local, domestically produced dairy. Remember the melamine-tainted baby formula?
If our safety isn't motivation enough consider this: NY dairy farms are the #1 industry in our state contributing $7 billion to our bottom line and we are losing our farms. And when we lose our farms that means we rely on other countries to feed us. Outsourcing IT jobs is one thing, but food is another. We must never outsource our ability to feed ourselves.
Consumer prices for dairy will not go up with this effort. We are already paying a lot for our milk, but the startling finding has been that the farmers are not seeing any of the profits.
Please join me in asking for support for our NY dairy farmers until a fair pricing structure is put into place.
Please also consider signing our sister petitions:
Asking politicians to adopt Country of Origin Labeling for Dairy Products:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/demand-country-of-origin...
Asking politicians to adopt a new, fair pricing system for milk:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/demand-a-fair-pricing-system-for-dairy
Thanks for your support!
We, the undersigned, hereby request that Secretary Vilsack, Agriculture Commissioner Pat Hooker, Governor Paterson, and the New York State Legislature provide immediate financial relief to New York dairy farms. Dairy farming is the #1 industry in New York contributing $7 billion to our state's bottom line. We are losing our state's dairy farms at a catastrophic rate due to unfair pricing. They are being paid 1970s wages at 2009 cost of living. Our farms support our economy as every dairy dollar is multiplied 12 times in the local economy.
Losing our New York dairy farms threatens our health and national security. Foreign dairy imports, including product from China, displaced domestic sales at a record highs. We cannot outsource our ability to make food. We cannot lose footing in our own agricultural marketplace. We must support our very viable, valuable state industry until a fair pricing system is in place.
Thanks!
