Farm Report (by Kevin)

This great weather that we have been enjoying and unseasonable high temps has been a blessing to my clients. Corn seed has been in the ground for about two weeks now, this is ahead of schedule due to a dry Spring and warm weather. If you drive by a corn field slow down and you will see tiny rows of corn running down the field about every couple inches apart. Do you know that on most fields there will be 30,000-32,000 plants per acre. 1st cutting began about 2 weeks ago with high quality feed being put away everywhere. This is a welcome relief to Vermont dairy producers. They may not be able to control the price they are paid for their product but they certainitly can control their cost of production. A good corn crop and high quality haylage can reduce feed cost drastically. Corn provides energy to cows and grass haylage provides a good source of protein.

It has been a struggle over the last year and half for dairy producers across the US and here in Vermont. They have been running operations at loses based on a cost of production that is not currently covered by their pay price.

We are forging ahead looking for solutions for the excess milk in this country and there is talk of a supply management system similar to Canada that typically experiences the highest milk price paid back to the producer in the World.

Here are a few pictures on the recent on goings across the County as the haylage comes in off the fields into the bunkers for fermentation and storage.

Big Equipment is a must when you want to cover a lot of acres in short time

These tractors are used to push the grass haylage into the bunks as it comes off the field

This picture gives you a perspective of big equipment. The tractor on the left is considered a big tractor but the one on the right is at least double it's size in horse power.

Next time you reach for a glass of milk, at $3 a gallon, realize that the farmer is not getting paid right now. A cheap food policy in the United States will move local production out of the State let alone the Country.

What price are you willing to pay???????