The MILC program what a joke! You think that by any means makes up for the money we are losing each month, I don't think so. Yah they say submit the paperwork, but as of yet the FSA office doesn't even have the computer program to run the program, and they cut the amounts down this time around. Someone like me, a small producer, even .80 cent for MILC payment ain't going to amount too much.
If it was only the milk prices being low, 11.22 a hundred, but the diesel is high, we are getting a diesel surcharge taken out of our checks, plus it effects everything, groceries, supplies, so us dairy farmers are paying triple for our diesel. Plus the drought we had, now we got rain here, but it coolled off, so the grass hasn't grown any in 2 weeks here, so today we had to go out and buy more round bales, pay more money. The high diesel also makes grain prices high, a person can only do what they can do.
I started out when grain was high, but milk prices were high too, in the mid 90's, I've seen the high highs, and the low lows, and the biggest thing I don't like about dairying is the financial part of it. It is very, very stressful at times. I can surely see why more young people do not want to get into it. In saying that though I do really like it, the animals, being my own boss, living in the country and farm life is a great place to raise the kids, teaches them a whole lot more than kids who live in the cities that I know for sure. So yes, we have to grin and bear it, and hope for the best.
ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING!!!!