"This action today is in solidarity with the Midwest actions. Dairy men across this country are expressing their independence today," said Frank Faria, one of the owners of the Faria family dairy farms. He explained that he would dump 1,800 gallons of milk down the drain to illustrate the plight of dairy farmers.

"We followed the political process and our concerns are falling on deaf ears," Faria said. "Something needs to be done. Milk prices are the lowest in 30 years. They don't cover the cost of production. Small farmers are the backbone of this country. We need to inform people that we see 85 to 90 cents of the $3-4 dollars a gallon paid by the consumer." The processors and stores get the bulk of the money, he said.

"Today is a ceremonial milk-dump. We are also asking for everyone's support for the milk strike being called by dairy farmers on September 4, Labor Day," he stated.

Among the solutions put forth at the protest are to raise price supports from $9.90 to $13.50 per hundredweight, with government purchases restricted to 3 percent of supply; to install either a producer or government milk board that addresses regional differences and manages supply and demand signals; and to change the farmers' current make allowance formula to make it variable according to prices of milk. Make allowance is the fee farmers must pay to processors to process the milk they sell them. Dairy farmers also pay the trucking costs for getting the milk to the processing facility.

Joe Parreira has owned his farm since 1984 and like many dairy farmers in California, is Portuguese. "Small dairies with 250 cows with the right price can make a living and can live with dignity. That's what we call small farmers. We don't want to get rich, just to make a living," Parreira stated.

Frank Lopes is 34 years old. He lives with his wife and three children and farms 300 cows. "The California Dairy Campaign has been doing protests in the last 10 years against unfair pricing, including one demonstration where we brought some of our cows to the state capitol in Sacramento," explained Lopes.

"I've worked hard and contributed to society. I'd be happy if I knew my land and cows would support me and my family, that I'd be able to live in dignity when I'm older," Lopes said.

Deborah Liatos is a member of the United Food and Commercial Workers union.  
 

He added, "We are demanding $13.50 per hundredweight floor price for milk. We really need $18. It's no wonder that our call for action has gotten a response. There is a crisis in the industry. The number of Grade A dairy farmers in the U.S. has decreased from 130,000 down to 80,000 in the last two years."  
 
 
 
Milk spilled in Wisconsin protest

Francis Goodman

KENDALL, Wisconsin--Dairy farmer Joel Greeno opens valve on holding tank and drains 240 gallons of milk (about one ton) in July 4 dairy strike protest. Greeno, president of the American Raw Milk Producers Pricing Association, dumped his milk to protest the $9.37 per hundredweight paid by processors to dairy farmers while the average cost of production in the region is more than $17 per hundredweight.

Greeno told reporters, "I'm making a statement with this. We have had enough and can't take anymore." He estimated that close to half a million pounds of milk were being dumped in Wisconsin alone as part of this protest, and demanded "an emergency $14.50 price" per hundredweight. Similar actions took place in half a dozen other states. Joining in solidarity with Greeno's action on his farm were his father Julian and two dairy farmer activists, Randy Jasper and Francis Goodman. "The working poor need milk. People who can't afford to buy milk need to get together with those who can't afford to produce it," stated Goodman.

Greeno said leaders of farmers' organizations met with top officials of the AFL-CIO in May in an effort to win support from trade unions. There will be another milk strike on Labor Day weekend. "We must take a stand," he said.

--LISA POTASH