Clues to a dairy herd build up; farmers market week
Washington Ag Today July 29, 2010 Dairy operators after a disastrous year or so, seem to be on the way to building up the herd again, or at least slowing down the contraction. USDA analyst Shayle Shagum says there are all kinds of clues pointing to a herd build up on the way. First, according to the recent Cattle Inventory report; Shagum: “The number of milk cow replacements is going to be about three percent higher. The most recent milk production report indicated producers added cows for the sixth straight month. And even though we are looking at declines in milk cow numbers the pace of the decline is obviously going to be slowing as prices improve and producer returns improve from where they were a year ago.” In the first half of the year Washington added seven-thousand dairy cows to its herd. Nationally the dairy herd is one percent smaller than last year but milk production is growing and expected to top last year by almost two-billion pounds and another two-billion next year. To recognize the growing importance of farmers markets to consumers, farmers and the economy, Governor Chris Gregoire, the Washington State Department of Agriculture and the Washington State Farmers Market Association are celebrating Farmers Market Week in Washington August 1st through the 7th. Washington state has around 150 farmers markets and in 2009 the markets that are members of the Washington State Farmers Market Association reported 32-million dollars in sales. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on Northwest Aginfo Net. ?
