By Candace Page
Burlington Free Press Staff Writer
Agriculture Secretary Steve Kerr says his department wants to begin making “cold calls” on some of the state’s small dairy farms, to see if their owners are interested in switching to organic milk.
Far from being discouraged by a new study raising questions about the profitability of organic dairying, Kerr said the method can be the salvation of some small farms.
“There has been so much boosterism about organic this, organic that. This report should give us all a sense of realism” that excellent farm and financial management are needed to make a success of an organic operation, he said.
Nevertheless, the much higher, stable price paid for organic milk holds real promise, he said.
“Farms are growing larger. The dairy industry continues to consolidate, like other industries. It’s going to be more and more difficult for small conventional farms to survive,” he said. “Organic is the best possible thing that could happen for Vermont.”
A June report to the agencies of Agriculture and Commerce outlined the potential benefits of expanding Vermont’s share of the organic market. It recommended modest state investment in branding the state’s organic dairy products, training producers, recruiting labor and the like.
Kerr said a dairy task force appointed by Gov. Jim Douglas will make recommendations, including some about organic dairying, later this month.
He has already made one move, he said.
“I’ve asked for money in next year’s budget for cold-calling on farms for which the transition to organic might make sense,” he said. Those are the small conventional farms — with perhaps 40, 50 or 60 cows — whose owners cannot or do not want to grow larger.
It is important for small farmers who might be interested in organic production to act sooner rather than later, he said, because the demand for organic milk won’t continue to grow at 20 percent a year forever.
“Those who grab market share early on will have a better chance of holding on to it,” he said.
“Hopefully, the UVM study will not discourage people who have good business minds and good business plans from making the transition,” he said.
Contact Candace Page at 660-1865 or e-mail [email protected]
