If you follow this site, you know that dairy is in a colossal crisis. The USDA knows it too, and thus far none of the government's "fixes" (like buying up lots of extra milk) have worked. Now Vilsack has announced the appointment of 17 members to a federal Dairy Industry Advisory Committee. From their press release:
Over the next two years, the committee will review the issues of farm milk price volatility, dairy farmer profitability and consolidation, and offer suggestions on ways USDA can best address the needs of a struggling dairy industry.
The best news of all is that LVL blogger Jim Goodman is on the committee!!!! The USDA announced that the committee would include "producers and producer organizations, processors and processor organizations, handlers, consumers, academia, retailers, and state agencies involved in organic and non-organic dairy at the local, regional, national, and international levels." Goodman is an organic dairy farmer in Wisconsin, a member of Family Farm Defenders, and a Kellogg/IATP Food and Society Policy Fellow.
Here is the full list of members:
Producer members appointed to the committee are: Erick Coolidge (Pa.), Timothy den Dulk (Mich.), Debora Erb (N.H.), James Goodman (Wis.), James Krahn, (Ore.), Edward Maltby (Mass.), Manuel Souza (Calif.), Ed Welch (Minn.), and James Williams (Ga.).
Representatives from the processing industry include: Jay Bryant (Va.), Patricia Stroup (Calif.), Sue Taylor (Colo.), and Robert Wills. (Wis.).
Members representing state government, retail, academia, and consumers are: Rodney Nilsestuen (Wis.), Robert Schupper (Pa.), Andrew Novakovic (N.Y.), and Paul Bourbeau (Vt.).
UPDATE: From the comments:
Paul Bourbeau, VT, Paboco Farms, Inc.
Jay Bryant, VA, Maryland and Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association
Erick Coolidge, PA, Le-Ma-Ra Farm
Timothy Den Dulk, MI, den Dulk Dairy Farm, LLC
Debora Erb, NH, Springvale Farms/Landaff Creamery, LLC
James Goodman, WI, Northwood Farm
James Krahn, OR, Oregon Dairy Farmers Association
Edward Maltby, MA, Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance
Rodney Nilsestuen, WI, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
Andrew Novakovic, NY, Cornell University
Robert Schupper, PA, Giant Food Stores
Manuel Souza, CA, Mel-Delin Dairy
Patricia Stroup, CA, Nestle
Sue Taylor, CO, Leprino Foods Company, Inc.
Edward Welch, MN, Associated Milk Producers Inc.
James Williams, GA, Williams Dairy Trucking, Inc.
Robert Wills, WI, Cedar Grove Cheese Inc.
Another commenter spoke highly of Ed Maltby, so that's good news too. Plus I wrote a diary to follow up on this one about Bob Wills and Cedar Grove (he's great, his cheese is great). And I've heard some not so good things about Rod Nilsestuen. |
