Today marked the end of an era. The small, but enduring, milk marketing cooperative to which we have belonged for quite a number of years voted to dissolve itself in order to join a bigger coop. We were told that we had no choice, that they would not allow our milk into their plants if we didn't do this deal. I have spent a lot of time on the phone since just before Christmas when I found out that this was being cooked up behind closed doors, from someone in another coop. However, the speakers for the new bunch are as persuasive as they are evasive and they convinced the members who bothered to show up (sixteen out of twenty-six) that there was no hope of survival without falling in with the big guys. It was interesting to see that, although the same fellows presented much the same program as I reported upon last week, they had taken out all the slides referring to their debt load. Ralph asked them some real tough questions on that topic at the other meeting. They did not answer them then and looks like they didn't want to hear them today either. It was pretty much all moot anyhow, as this was obviously all settled long before we even knew it was in the works.
We will probably not go along when the move is made. There are other markets out there, not great ones, but we can get a nice, new milk inspector and keep our old milk truck drivers if we change separately from Canajoharie Coop. It is gone now anyhow. Oddly enough, the Canjo coop is required to have an annual meeting even though it is in the process of dissolution. Therefore we will get our roast beef dinner with door prizes just as if nothing was happening. We are going despite our feelings. I can't wait to see who wins the quality awards. Since the boss and I took over the farm we have been in the top five every year, but I'll bet we will mysteriously fall from favor this year, despite somatic cell counts miles below the national average. Kicking in an unpopular direction does not pay.
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It's sad that this has happened, and I feel that it's wrong. Over and over, we have seen local farm co-ops grow, merge, and become anti-farm, in the sense that the co-op business exists for its profits, not for the benefit of its members. And it's terribly frustrating to have this kind of decision made behind closed doors and shoved down your throat. You have my sympathy.
ReplyDeleteThe decision to move in with a bigger coop is never a good one. I have seen it here in WA as bigger and bigger operations have sucked the life out of small farms by not offering them any choice. Stockholm syndrome sets in and the former opponents become some of the biggest advocates.
ReplyDeleteI am proud of your decision not to join in. You are right--there are other markets. Can you pasturize your own milk? How about selling to an artisinal cheese maker? Sell milk direct from your farm or at farmer's markets--there are plenty of people out there who don't want to pay for milk that 1) travels very far, and 2) has the tain of large commercialism. I am sure you can market to the local community somehow and come out on top--hopefully with more dosh in your pockets at the end of it.
I am so sorry about this happening. I know you felt this was coming down the tube and there wasn't anythng to be done to stop it. I'm not a farmer but I can understand your frustration at the way things were done. Love your pictures of the cows. Keep up the great stories.
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