Dairyman overcomes challenges

Many Californians in agriculture today have a laundry list of challenges facing them. Dairyman Richard Hughes has several, too.“I think the biggest challenge facing the dairy industry today is the fact that there is an over-supply of milk, due to large dairies,” he said.The excess supply tends to drive down milk prices, stressing many dairies, he said.“However, I would advise anyone who is really interested in getting into the dairy industry today to ‘Follow your dream,’” he said.Water is another challenge, and Hughes has built an answer to his need for it. About a year and a half ago, he put in a water catchment pond that catches the water from the barn roofs via a gutter system.“We have had riparian water rights from the creek that goes through the bottom of our property,” he said. “With these rights, we were able to have plenty of water for the cows. However, the little town of Bodega also gets its water from the creek.”With the catchment pond, he said, “we were able to not have to take water from the creek, so the town was able to have more.”Hughes received the Luther Burbank Conservation Award from Sonoma County Farm Bureau last year for his dedication to the environment