Whats happening on dairy farms as a result of this crisis?
Many small and medium-sized dairy farmers have already shut down operations, while others continue to head to the slaughterhouse to thin their herds. In January 2009 alone, 72,000 cows were culled, and estimates suggest another 250,000-300,000 of the nation’s 9.3 million milking cows need to be immediately culled in order to begin to stabilize prices. While this may seem like a logical short-term fix to stem the impact of the industry’s collapse, herd reduction tactics place stress on other industries, beginning with beef. In fact, dairy farmers are finding it increasingly difficult to find anyone willing to buy their culled cattle at a reasonable price.
