The National Dairy Council's advertising campaign has sung for the last two decades that "milk does the body good." The council proclaims through the Dietary Guidelines for Americans study that "people who consume more low-fat and fat-free dairy foods have better overall diets, have more nutrient intake and improved bone health," which proves that milk may be beneficial for the human body, yet rounding out the year of 2009, it may not be great for dairy farmers.Pennsylvania is one of the top dairy producing states, but similar to the recession in the 1970s when milk prices were at their lowest, the decrease in profits from their products has become a statewide crisis. This year, the PA commonwealth has reported that there are 7,400 dairy farms, with most of these farms listing that they are experiencing losses of thousands of dollars per month.
Positively, Congress recently approved $290 million in direct subsidies to the U.S. Department of Agriculture that will be granted to dairy farmers, with hopes for the farmers to receive the funds by the end of the year. However, one potential solution that area dairies are considering is the sale of high-priced, unpasteurized milk, known as "raw milk."
