CT FARMERS CELEBRATE NATIONAL MILK DAY, DESPITE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES OF THE LAST DECADE
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Cow at Hayes Farm in Rocky Hill. Photo: Yadira Carreras, Boceto Media |
This week marks National Milk Day, a time to recognize and thank the farmers who dedicate their time and effort in the fields to provide fresh food for families.
"Agriculture is in my blood. My family has been doing this for five generations. We've been here since 1868," says Francis Whelan, a fifth-generation farmer at Hayes Farm in Rocky Hill.
For years, he and his brother worked in the dairy industry, milking cows and selling fresh milk. However, Whelan says the past decade has made it increasingly difficult to sustain the dairy business.
"In the 2000s, around the mid 2000’s, the milk prices started declining, [while labor costs] and everything we used on the farm kept rising”. He said. "So we ended up getting out of the dairy business and got into raising beef cattle. So we raise beef cows now, that’s our primary focus now."
Like many small farms, Whelan’s faced a harsh reality. The milk industry is largely controlled by a few big corporations, setting prices that leave small farmers with little control over their earnings. Added to that were rising labor and equipment costs, making it impossible to continue with dairy production.
"Being small farmers, we have to sell directly to the public, where [we] can control some of the price fluctuations," Whelan explained. "If we sold our animals to a producer, they’d would tell us the price, and tell us what they’r gonna pay for our animals”.
Though Whelan no longer produces milk, he continues to sell dairy products by partnering with other small local farms. He markets their goods in his own store, helping sustain the local farming community's economy.
"The small dairy farms that we are involved with, where we get the milk, don't sell it outside the farm,” he said. “They sell directly to the consumer, or people like me that provide it to other people in different parts of the state."
According to Connecticut Dairy, the state is home to 85 dairy farms and 19,000 cows, producing a wide range of high-quality dairy products, from milk to cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. The dairy industry generates up to $1.1 billion annually, and more than 90% of these farms are small, family-owned operations.
"Support the farmers, the ones that are producing milk out of their farms, that are bottling it," Whelan said. "There are many places in Connecticut that do that. Go directly there. It’s gonna be a lot for the farmers".
As part of the celebration, Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz visited a farm in Storrs and raised a glass with members of the Department of Agriculture and state dairy farmers.
"I want to encourage everyone in Connecticut to support local dairy farmers," Bysiewicz said.
So today, raise a glass of milk to celebrate National Milk Day. It’s clear that Connecticut has a deep agricultural heritage rooted in family values, community, and the hard work that goes into every glass we drink.
CT FARMERS CELEBRATE NATIONAL MILK DAY, DESPITE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES OF THE LAST DECADE
Reviewed by Maricarmen Cajahuaringa
on
January 12, 2025
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