A dairy farmers side of the organic story

 

By: Guy Ekola 

 

I once wanted to live in Wisconsin and be a dairy farmer there. Now I see it is the only worse thing I could have done than remain in Minnesota and be a small family dairy farmer here.

I see you have mentioned Organic Valley. I used to sell milk there, until they wiped me out.

They started out by sending a big truck with illegal tires to pick up milk in winter, and when the truck, with those bald tires, had difficulty in my yard, they blamed me. I put up with the abuse because the ‘organic premium’ for milk was so necessary for our survival as a farm. Then they went with semi-trucks which do not fit in a small farmyard.

Everything always had to be clear, no room for anything but the big semi and its precious (to them) oversized payload. Talk about a major hassle! Even a 1″ snowfall bogged them down and of course, who did they (Organic Valley) blame? They blamed me.