Washington D.C.(March 26, 2009) – The Dairy Subcommittee of the National Family Farm Coalition today criticized Secretary Vilsack for failing to adequately address the deepening crisis in the dairy sector that is the worst since the Great Depression. NFFC recently helped release a landmark report, “Dairy Farm Crisis 2009: A Look Beyond Conventional Analysis” by New York dairy farmer John Bunting showing the United States was importing massive amounts of dairy products, including illegal milk protein concentrates, while demand for dairy products had not dropped. Simple “overproduction” myths cannot be held accountable for the 50% reduction in milk prices to farmers.

NFFC Dairy Subcommittee Chairman and Wisconsin dairy farmer Paul Rozwadowski said, “While we appreciate Secretary Vilsack’s attempts to address the dairy crisis, transferring surplus nonfat dry milk powder to feeding and nutrition programs will do little to halt the catastrophe occurring in rural America. One of the critical problems facing dairy farmers is not overproduction, but a dairy pricing system easily manipulated by a few corporate entities, including Kraft, Dean Foods and our corrupt dairy cooperatives such as Dairy Farmers of America.” In December 2008, DFA was fined $12 million for price manipulation at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

NFFC on March 2 had sent a letter to Secretary Vilsack urging him to implement Section 608c(18) of the 1937 Agriculture Act that gives him authority to set dairy prices to reflect farmers’ cost of production. Rozwadowski said, “Secretary Vilsack should exercise the power he has under 608c(18) so we can prevent more farmer suicides and farms from going out of business.”

Bryan Wolfe, an Ohio dairy farmer, also criticized National Milk Producers Federation for not fighting for real relief for dairy farmers, saying, “Secretary Vilsack should know NMPF is not an advocate for the best interests of dairy farmers. They have done nothing to look at the corruption of our industry, the failed pricing system, or halting the imports of illegal milk protein concentrates that further depress farm prices.” NFFC in December 2008 wrote a letter to NMPF outlining their historic failure to help dairy farmers and for advocating more on behalf of their corporate affiliates, including Monsanto, Kraft and Dean Foods, than on behalf of America’s remaining 60,000 dairy farmers.

Both John Bunting’s report and NFFC’s March 2 letter to Secretary Vilsack can be found on our website at nffc.net.