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GROWTH MANAGEMENT
Balancing supply with profitable demand.
What do growth management policies do?
Dairy Together calls on Congress to establish a mandatory program for growth management in order to moderate milk production and ensure that family dairy farms can stay small and still succeed.
Improve milk prices for farmers
Prevent overproduction
Reduce milk price volatility
OUR SOLUTION.
The U.S dairy industry is changing at a rapid pace. Over the last twenty years, the prevalence of very large dairies has transformed the structure of the dairy industry. These farms can continue to expand while others go out of business in droves.
The only dairy farms that are growing in number are those with 2,000+ cows, while every other farm size category is in sharp decline. Federal dairy programs were not designed with these dynamics in mind. If we want to have diversity in farm size, location, production methods, and conservation practices - and realize our vision of a sustainable farm economy - we need to coordinate growth in milk production so that one farmers’ decision to expand doesn’t drive someone else out of business.
If we do nothing, the writing is on the wall for the vast majority of the 30,000 dairy farms that remain, locking us into a very risky and uncertain future where just a handful of mega dairies supply all of our milk and dairy products. And that's why now is a critical moment for The Dairy Revitalization Plan.
The Dairy Revitalization Plan
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Dairy Together on Congress to establish a mandatory program for managed growth, based on market demand and price stability. WFU supports the Dairy Revitalization Plan, based on the study, “Analyses of Proposed Alternative Growth Management Programs for the US Dairy Industry,” conducted by Charles Nicholson and Mark Stephenson and funded by the University of Wisconsin Baldwin Wisconsin Idea program, the Grassland 2.0 project, the Wisconsin Cover Crops Research and Outreach Program, and Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS) of the University of Wisconsin.
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Congress Must Act.
Through the Dairy Together project, we have listened and learned from family farmers across the country and coalesced around an approach that is fair, effective, and politically feasible.
With a strong, five year Farm Bill long overdue, we have an opportunity to reform dairy markets in a way that creates better balance and long-term stability.
The good news is, the American philosophy around food and farming is shifting and the dairy industry will have to adapt. The “get big or get out” mentality that brought forth a system of large-scale corporate agriculture has run its course. The farm policies of the future will favor fair prices, rural resilience, diversity, and public health. The next farm bill is our opportunity to turn the corner and embrace these values as we usher in a new era for agriculture. We know a whole lot of dairy farmers who can hardly wait.
Dairy Together calls on Congress to establish a mandatory program for managed growth based on market demand and price stability in the next Farm Bill. Such a program should:
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Allow for beginning farmer entry
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Reduce government expenditures
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Respond to global market conditions
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Have mandatory, national reach for that all dairy producers participate
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Allow for planned farm growth when the market can accept additional milk
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Be designed in such a way that any production base does not acquire value
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Have meaningful farmer input in development, implementation, and governance
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LEARN MORE ABOUT GROWTH MANAGEMENT
Dairy Together Podcast
The Dairy Together podcast offers a vision for the future of dairy.
On each episode, we chat with different guests about grassroots efforts to bring stability and profitability to dairy farmers in Wisconsin and across the country.
We're embracing a vision to for a vibrant agricultural landscape in Wisconsin and across the country; one where many farms operate at different scales to ensure a stable supply of food.
Whether you’re listening from the barn, out doing field work, or anywhere in between, tune in to hear about efforts to create meaningful dairy policy changes in the upcoming farm bill.
Dairy Together Videos
Learn more about the mission of Dairy Together, growth management fundamentals, and the details of The Dairy Revitalization plan by watching exploring videos from Dairy Together.
Explore Other Resources
Find other help resources at the links below.