2008 Woodie Awards
Local dairy sales lag in current economy
Rosie Walunas, Collegian Correspondent
Issue date: 12/4/08 Section: News
Western Massachusetts is a hotspot for locally grown food, but dairy farms that sell locally and commercially are continuing to struggle.
In 1997, eight Massachusetts farmers got together to make a little more money for their effort. They started "Our Family Farms" a cooperative of small family-run dairy farms, located in Greenfield.
"I think the local food movement has caught on," said Angie Facey farmer and owner of Bree-Z-Knoll Farm, an Our Family Farms member.
Bree-Z-Knoll Farm, located in Leyden, is run by Facey, her husband Randy and his father, Warren. Like the other members of Our Family Farms, Angie Facey said Bree-Z-Knoll Farm milks their own cows and grows their own feed; milk is processed locally and distributed locally.
Facey said the difference is that the money goes back to the farmers rather than to commercial distributors.
The problem is that "people who have to watch their pennies aren't going to buy from us," said Facey.
With the economy in a slump, it's hard to say if buyers are willing to pay an extra 30 cents for a gallon of milk. Our Family Farms currently sells a gallon of milk for $4.79 to $5.00.
"Our sales haven't dropped, but they haven't increased," said Facey.
According to the Massachusetts Association of Dairy Farmers, the dairy industry in Massachusetts is facing a crisis. Its Web site reports that in 1980 there were 829 dairy farms in Massachusetts. In 2007 there were 189.
Today there are 184 dairy farms in Massachusetts that are licensed to sell milk said Carrie Sears, an educator for the Crops, Dairy, Livestock University of Massachusetts Extension Team.
Sears said most dairies ship to commercial distributors because of the high cost to produce and distribute milk locally.
"There have been some farms that jump out of [processing milk locally] because of labor," she said.
"It's true when you compare other commodities like fruits and vegetables they can go to the consumer without any packaging. But dairy has to be processed, packaged and is a commodity that has to be refrigerated," said John Kokoski, owner of Mapleline Farm in Hadley.
In 1997, eight Massachusetts farmers got together to make a little more money for their effort. They started "Our Family Farms" a cooperative of small family-run dairy farms, located in Greenfield.
"I think the local food movement has caught on," said Angie Facey farmer and owner of Bree-Z-Knoll Farm, an Our Family Farms member.
Bree-Z-Knoll Farm, located in Leyden, is run by Facey, her husband Randy and his father, Warren. Like the other members of Our Family Farms, Angie Facey said Bree-Z-Knoll Farm milks their own cows and grows their own feed; milk is processed locally and distributed locally.
Facey said the difference is that the money goes back to the farmers rather than to commercial distributors.
The problem is that "people who have to watch their pennies aren't going to buy from us," said Facey.
With the economy in a slump, it's hard to say if buyers are willing to pay an extra 30 cents for a gallon of milk. Our Family Farms currently sells a gallon of milk for $4.79 to $5.00.
"Our sales haven't dropped, but they haven't increased," said Facey.
According to the Massachusetts Association of Dairy Farmers, the dairy industry in Massachusetts is facing a crisis. Its Web site reports that in 1980 there were 829 dairy farms in Massachusetts. In 2007 there were 189.
Today there are 184 dairy farms in Massachusetts that are licensed to sell milk said Carrie Sears, an educator for the Crops, Dairy, Livestock University of Massachusetts Extension Team.
Sears said most dairies ship to commercial distributors because of the high cost to produce and distribute milk locally.
"There have been some farms that jump out of [processing milk locally] because of labor," she said.
"It's true when you compare other commodities like fruits and vegetables they can go to the consumer without any packaging. But dairy has to be processed, packaged and is a commodity that has to be refrigerated," said John Kokoski, owner of Mapleline Farm in Hadley.
Be the first to comment on this story