Eleven dairy barns have collapsed under the
weight of successive snowstorms. At least a dozen cows have died and hundreds have
been trapped under caved-in roofs and timbers. For the farms involved, the snows of 2011 have been devastating.
Lawmakers are urging the Vermont Milk Commission to help dairy farmers by
forcing processors to pay more for the product. The goal is to then get that
money back in farmers’ pockets.
State
officials have asked Washington for emergency relief. They hope that the Obama
Administration will buy time for farmers before more structural changes are
made in the federal farm support system.
Officials are planning a new low interest loan program. They say it’s not a long-term fix, but the money should
help farmers facing record low milk prices.
About
300 farmers and their supporters packed the House chamber this week to testify about the future of farming in Vermont. Many
had a simple message. They said small, diversified farms are the future. And
they argued that the state needs to help farmers sell directly to consumers.
The Vermont Milk Commission says it will collect information to help determine
if the panel should raise farm prices, or institute price controls at
the retail level.
Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.:
Senator Bernie
Sanders says his proposal for a new surtax on the wealthy to pay for a bailout
of the financial services industry is drawing support; Economic
trends have begun to move in the wrong direction for Vermont dairy farmers; Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie
formally kicked off his third re-election campaign…