"Dairy Advantage" Program Created to Stabilize Deteriorating NC Dairy Industry

Dairy Advantage is a joint effort between the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, NC State University Cooperative Extension, NC Farm Bureau and the NC Dairy Producers Association.

March 15, 2008

WAKE COUNTY NC NEWS -- Within the last decade North Carolina has lost more than a third of its dairy farms. A new strategic plan called Dairy Advantage has been established to help stabilize deteriorating dairy industry. Dairy Advantage is a joint effort between the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, NC State University Cooperative Extension, NC Farm Bureau and the NC Dairy Producers Association.

The Dairy Advantage plan seeks to heighten the value of the dairy industry to the state's economy, support dairy farm numbers, maintain farmland and open space. Dairy Advantage will assist farmers who wish to stay in dairy farming to expand in place or relocate within the state. The program also aims to recruit and provide assistance to dairy farmers wishing to move into North Carolina.

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said, "Our dairy farms are an important part of our economy and our agricultural heritage, and also play an important role in continuing a safe and wholesome food supply in our state. We hope the Dairy Advantage program will help farmers operate more efficiently and effectively to help keep them in business."

Two pilot programs have been created as part of Dairy Advantage. The first program offers on-farm assessments to give farmers a critical look at a farm's operations to help determine ways of saving money and increasing profits. The second pilot program will help dairy farmers create a "profit team," similar to a board of directors, to help resolve any issues the farm faces. The profit team will act only as a team of advisers, not actually replace the decision-making responsibilities of the farmer.

The program is modeled after a similar project in Pennsylvania (PA Dairy Task Force Action Plan) that was responsible for increasing profits an average of $250 per cow in one year. The Dairy Advantage plan was announced at an industry meeting in January, and currently the roster for the pilot program is full. However, the program will accept more farmers once it is fully operational.

The North Carolina dairy industry brings in more than $138 million a year in cash receipts for milk and milk products, and its total economic impact was estimated at $500 million in 2006. The Dairy Advantage plan also seeks to reduce the current deficit in milk production and provide more local milk to consumers.

Published by:
Rob Cross
mailto:editor@357news.com

# # #