The Connecticut Dairy is Not About Money

In Connecticut it takes a farmer about $1.60 to produce a gallon of milk, which according to a federal price regulation must then be sold for $1.00. The dairy industry is suffering like so many other small businesses. When it comes down to money, small businesses can't compete. But, then, why does it have to come down to money?

The value of the dairy farms in Connecticut is incalculable by mere dollars and cents. There is the aesthetic value of picturesque pastures. There is the state security of providing its own food. Only small dairy farms are clean enough to safely produce raw milk, and they do not have such a negative impact on the environment.

In the last two years, Connecticut has lost about a quarter of its dairy farms. Right now there are about 150 remaining, all struggling to make ends meet. The farmers have been asking for help in many creative ways. For example, Daisy the Dairy cow was brought to a demonstration in Hartford in March. There have been proposals to use state money to keep these farms afloat, but no conclusive solution has been reached.

A state that has made its financial fortune by insurance may soon lose its more tangible fortune, its agricultural base. In the early days of Connecticut's statehood, everyone was an agriculturalist. It was a natural process for survival. Money was more easily recognized as a mere symbol for what can be literally wrought from the land.

What will become of the Connecticut Dairy industry? Farms will continue to disappear, at an ever-increasing rate, unless each citizen makes an effort to stop it. If we all insist upon only using local dairy products, the farms might have a chance. The beautiful grazing fields will not be covered with concrete sprawl. Our state economy will thrive independent of national and global fluctuations.

The remaining dairy farmers of Connecticut are carrying on a tradition, a way of life that will not be defended by anyone outside the culture. The federal government is not going to step in, for instance, and declare our state a monument of living history. No, we are susceptible to all kinds of forces, as the globe, like milk, is homogenized. If the Connecticut dairy farm is appreciated enough by its own local community, it can be preserved. And that is the only way.

So if you are a Connecticut resident that would like to help ensure the continuance of your state's dairy industry, buy local, and visit the links below. Also, you can locate your town's representative at http://www.cga.ct.gov/maps/Townlist.asp.