Dairy farmers awash in milk, low prices

Virginia dairy farmers have always endured price fluctuation in milk prices. But the latest downswing has seen milk checks shrink by 35 percent the past two years, with little improvement in sight. That’s why some dairy farmers welcomed news that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is purchasing 11 million pounds of excess cheese from private sources for use in food banks across the nation. “The dairy industry in Virginia, and the nation as a whole, is suffering from decreased whole milk consumption,” explained Kyle Leonard, an Augusta County dairyman and member of the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Dairy Advisory Committee. “That’s been our bread and butter; selling milk that people drink.  “Consumers, in general, for some reason aren’t drinking as much whole milk. And that’s bothersomebecause its nature’s most perfect food,” Leonard said.  A soft world market for dairy products and increased production by some dairymen also contributed to an oversupply of milk and lower prices at the farm, Leonard said. “Dairy farmers across the world are suffering,” he said. “Whether it’s in Europe or New Zealand, consumer demand has decreased.