Milk Prices Expected to Hit Record Highs

Associated Press ^ | Fri Apr 23,11:04 PM ET | By IRA DREYFUSS, Associated Press Writer

[7.62 x 51mm]

WASHINGTON - Consumers are likely to see milk prices rise, probably to record levels, because the Agriculture Department is raising the minimum price paid to farmers to a record high, dairy experts say.

The department announced Friday it is raising the new minimum price for farmers to $1.69 per gallon, a 50-cent increase. The previous record was $1.40 per gallon in February 1999.

[traumer]

Don't Buy It !!
Switch to other alternatives. Let the SUPPLY and DEMAND set the price....

[Blue_Ridge_Mtn_Geek]

Yawn. We are still drinking the powdered milk we stashed in 1998 to cover Y2K contingencies. This may run out in 2 or 3 years, at which time I will start to care about latest govt price policies (I suspect that powdered milk will still provide the best deal).

Similarly for shampoo, soap, various other commodities that store well. About the only insurance premiums I ever paid that were recoverable even though the hazard they were spent to avoid did not materialze. And now we are located where we can watch the "war on terrorism" with minimal worry that we will be "on the scene" for some ObL atrocity. If the IslamoNazis show up, all of my neighbors and I are armed to the teeth, and we'll have some fun granting them their death wish.

[Thinkin' Gal]

[Rightly Biased]

BTTT;PING
Respectivly

[dighton]

Gååt møøsenmjólk?

[ClearBlueSky]

It's about time people started complaining about the price of milk. Here in New Orleans the average price is $3.79 a gallon, nothing below $3.10. In fact, I was shocked last week to see Super Wal-Mart( which is generally much cheaper than the supermarkets)charging $4.69- $4.89 a gallon!!
Appalling, because we all know that far more than half of that price is the packaging and distribution.
Whenever I hear people scream that gasoline is up to $1.60 a gallon, I wonder if they would like a milk-powered car.

[RonHolzwarth]

Well, here is a fact, right from an EX-farmer's son: Farming is NOT a profitable enterprise. Only at certain times of shortages, and resulting very high food prices, has farming been what you would consider "high profit".

Most smaller farms are simply being sold off to larger corporations who can afford more land and the much more expensive equipment that is used to eliminate the "farm hands" that used to be used.

The farm subsidies that we have now are the result of a very long standing U.S. government policy that has two main goals:

1) The United States is to be self sufficient in its food supply.

2) The price of food is to be low.

However, I think we could ditch the tobacco subsidies, but I am told (by the son of a tobacco farmer) that if you work a tobacco farm full time, using family help, you are lucky to clear $10,000 a year. Not even minimum wage.

[RonHolzwarth]

Huh?

You said: "$3.79 a gallon, nothing below $3.10. Super Wal-Mart charging $4.69- $4.89 a gallon!!
Appalling, because we all know that 'FAR MORE THAN HALF' of that price is the packaging and distribution."

I would tend to agree with you more if you said instead:

"far more than four fifths" !!!

[Thinkin' Gal]

Gååt møøsenmjólk?

INNIHALD:
Mysa.

Mysa verður til við skyrgerð. Í skyri eins og öðrum sýrðum mjólkurvörum eru mjólkursýrugerlar. Auk þess einkenna gersveppir þessa séríslensku mjólkuafurð og gefa henni sérstakt bragð og áferð. Gerlaflóra mysu, bragð og gæði, samsvarar algerlega skyrinu sem hún er síuð frá. Mjókursýrugerlarnir kljúfa mjólkursykur og mynda mjólkursýru. Þess vegna getur mysa orðið eldsúr. Öldum saman var sýra svaladrykkur Íslendinga og gerði þjóðinni kleift að verja kjöt- og fiskmeti skemmdum

[RonHolzwarth]

About my comments above: I grew up in a farming community, and have many relatives still trying to make a living farming, because it is the only life they know. It is NOT an easy life.

And, I'm kinda hurting too, it was painful to see all of my Grandparent's farm and ranch land sold off. Because it was simply not an option to keep it in the family.

On my Dad's side, part of it was the original homestead, from 1880 or so.

On my Mom's side, it was purchased in the 1920's and 1930's. I was told that some of those land payments during the depression were kinda tough to make.

So that's all a touchy subject with me.

[aculeus]

Some people will be pleased.

[nmh]

Hey, has FR poster, ole Willie Green seen this? He should be excited in seeing how well government micro management works! Or maybe this would be euphoric news for him.

[7.62 x 51mm]

Bottled water here is $2.19/gal; still a good bit less than milk. Anyone who drinks bottled water is nuts, as there's no ecoli-coliform standards that they have to meet, as with municipal water regs. And anti-freeze is only $2.29/gal. Gas is now $1.83/gal. The new tax isn't going to stop me from having something to dunk my Fig Newtons in, darnit!

[7.62 x 51mm]

I've never seen organic milk in the stores around here (southcentral Penna). I love the un-homogenized milk with 2" of cream at the top, and frequent the one farm store which sells direct from their own dairy.

[7.62 x 51mm]

I've heard the same thing, RH, and as a farmer/nursery owner-operator myself, I manage to keep 18 people employed and make a very comfortable living. Many of the farms here in southcentral Penna are being sold off for housing or commercial development. Sad to see it.

[Caleb1411]