To The Editor:

 

It has now been over a year since the price paid to farmers for milk crashed. Dairy farmers are going out of business at an alarming rate. Not to worry, we are all going to be saved by an insurance policy that will pay us SOME of the difference between the price of milk and our cost of production. The problem is that we have to buy another insurance policy. I don't know about everyone else, but we can't pay for all the insurance policies that we have now!

 

We don't need more insurance, we need a fair price for our milk.  In the short term we need an emergency floor price of $18 and a $17 support price on all manufactured milk.

 

For the long term we need a cost of production. We need fair trade in relation to imports. We need a growth management plan, and a plan to keep it all in check. Gee, sounds like S-1645 to me!!

 

Farmers and consumers alike need to call their Senators and Congressmen. Our own Congressman Michael Arcuri is very accessible, while our Senators are not. I guess they're too important to be bothered by a bunch of farmers.

 

Farmers need to stand up for themselves and not let the major co-ops do their talking for them.

 

Consumers need to get on the band wagon also or your grocery stores will be looking much different when all our farms are gone and all your food is imported.

 

PLEASE MAKE THOSE CALLS TODAY!!!!

 

Gretchen Maine

143 Mason Rd.

Waterville, NY  13480

315-861-5721