Don’t Cry Over rBST Milk

NY Times ^ | June 29, 2007 | HENRY I. MILLER

[TheBattman]

I don’t think $3.47 (or whatever the exact amount was) is outrageous. This article gives me one more reason for buying organic milk.

I wish milk was only $3.47 a gallon around here. Literally overnight, every store (including WalMart) went from $4.17-4.29 to $4.49.

Now, I have heard gas price fluctuations explained away as each shipment to a dealer costs different amounts. But when every store in a given area (with different brands and different distributors) all raise prices to the exact same price from one day to the next - with NONE of them getting a milk shipment.... doesn't that at least cause one to scratch their heads?

Of course - one other reason for milk prices - the milk cartels. Many dairy farmers and producers are required BY LAW to be paying members of milk promotion boards (unions by another name). These groups place controls in addition to other government regs that basically are to control prices (they say it is to keep prices fair for the farmers - but most of the time, it simply adds money to the middle men's pockets).

There was a story here on FR last year about such a cartel out West. There was a one-time small farmer who had grown to have several farms and to produce all the way through delivery to supermarkets. He was sued by the cartel because he was not a member - so they didn't get his money. He lost...

All the while, he was turning a great profit, selling quality milk directly to the stores for lower cost, thus saving consumers money as well. Now THAT represents the American way to me. But no... we like the organized crime method...