Sour economy killing organic milk industry

As Americans attempt to save money in order to weather the bad economy, more are giving up on products of the organic movement like milk.

Small farms are closing across the country because dairy cooperatives are no longer purchasing their milk. The $1.3 billion organic milk industry had been steadily growing, and dairy conglomerates were taking every ounce of organic milk a farmer could supply, according to the New York Times.

But with high feed prices and with consumers purchasing milk based on price rather than quality, the once-profitable industry is dying.

According to the USDA, the price of organic milk has slid in many cities. The National Family Farm Coalition is asking congress to take emergency actions to “stop the devastating crisis in rural America due to record-low milk sales.”

The group wants congress to put a floor price of $18 per 100 pounds of milk. Farmers are currently only making $9-$12 per 100 pounds, according to the NFFC.

“Our nation is in serious jeopardy of losing our local dairy food production,” NFFC representative Paul Rozwadowski said. “We have already heard of farm suicides, farmers going out of business, and credit and loans that are hard to get because of the devaluing of farm assets and our equity.”

Because farmers can’t sell their organic product, they’re forced to either sell it in the conventional milk market or attempt to sell it unpasteurized straight to the public, the Times reported.

Unfortunately, the story of organic milk’s prosperity and recent decline shows this and other organic industries are linked to the economy.

Once eating organic becomes a nuisance, ethics go straight out the window.

Instead of tossing ethics out of their shopping carts, consumers should remember the true cost of food. By ditching small farmers when they’re in need, Americans are choosing to support factory farm systems where antibiotics replace veterinarians, where growth hormones replace animal rights and where profits replace a connection with food.

If that trend continues, organic farms will become extinct and organic products won’t even be an option.