Global trade and among other things have hurt the Dairy Farm industry, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Export markets also have dried up for U.S. dairy farmers. Last year, the U.S. exported nearly 11% of its milk production. When the global economy tanked, demand shrank and prices collapsed.
Extreme measures have been taken as Dairy farms struggle to keep their farms in production, such as cashing out retirement savings to pay the bills, persuading banks to extend their credit limit, strained families and marriages, slaughtering cows and an increased suicide rate.
"The fact is we import more milk products in this country than we export," Said Bruins, dairy farmer. "Even with our low prices, domestic dairy processors (including major farm cooperatives) can buy foreign products cheaper than raw U.S. milk."
Overproduction and a collisped export market has dairy farmers wondering what the future holds.
How is the governement helping?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has a program called the Milk Income Loss Contract, which pays dairy farmers when the market price of milk falls to a certain level. But, that amount still doesn't pay the bills for most farmers.
Farmers are asking for a trade agreement to help American farmers play on equal footing with foreign markets.
How many farmers are pushed out of business during this recession is still adding up? Only the future knows the outcome.
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