As we celebrate National Dairy Month, I'd like to recognize dairy producers across California and around the nation for their productivity and innovation.
It's also a time to look toward a bright future for the U.S. dairy industry — a future of new solutions and less uncertainty for the men and women who put milk, cheese and other dairy products on our tables.
While Americans enjoy dairy products every day for their great taste and high nutrient value, many don't know that our nation's dairy industry faces some of the most unpredictable conditions in agriculture. Dairy producers have watched milk prices rise and fall at a roller-coaster rate. They've worked hard to manage their herds in the face of deep uncertainty, but they're always left wondering whether next year will be a boom or a bust.
When I began as agriculture secretary, dairy producers were in dire straits; milk prices had plummeted and threatened thousands of dairies with bankruptcy. Almost immediately upon taking office, I implemented a number of tools at my disposal. We temporarily increased purchase prices under the Dairy Product Price Support Program to help with record low prices. I authorized a temporary program to help our dairy products compete on the world market, boosting our export capacity. We issued special guidance to USDA field offices to ensure every avenue of help was available for struggling dairy operations.
Right now in California, 152 dairy producers have a USDA loan or a USDA loan guarantee to help them keep going strong. And finally, we implemented the Dairy Economic Loss Assistance Program within two months of passage and expedited the implementation of the Milk Income Loss Contract Program as modified by Congress in the 2008 farm bill to make sure assistance was provided to producers as fast as possible.
By Tom Vilsack
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