Scorched earth and spilled milk

Scorched earth and spilled milk


According to the Florida Dairy Farmers, the Sunshine State ranks first in the Southeast and 19th in the country in milk production. So Florida’s farmers are well aware of the devastating effects that recent droughts have had on the dairy industry.

Droughts in the Midwest, West and Southwest have destroyed crops used to produce animal feed. Remaining crops have sold at much higher prices, thus driving up the cost of feed. While feed expenses were once 50 percent of a dairy farmer’s gross revenue, that portion has now risen to almost 90 percent.

It’s no wonder some dairy farmers have made the tough decision to sell their herds for beef. This, in turn, has decreased milk production and driven up milk prices.

This is yet another example of how environmental change is affecting people and animals. Now maybe that’s something to cry over.

 

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