Editor
Letter to the Editor
Corporate greed in farming, Madison:
June Dairy Month is here again and with that comes the usual dairy promotions from dairy products sales to agriculture exclusive businesses’ promotions to the many dairy breakfasts and other community events across the state. Also jumping on the bandwagon is Congressman Tiffany. Unfortunately he brings a giant phony bologna that he wants to sell.
In his newsletter to constituents last Friday he is trying to convince his readers that he is standing up for Wisconsin dairy farmers with his proposed legislation to promote milk in our schools.
The issue is that the USDA (or Biden as he suggests) wants to ban flavored milk to younger students. The issue isn’t milk at all, it’s sugar. The USDA is well aware of the nutrient value of milk. If the issue is sugar then it should be addressed as such so that all alternatives to milk are treated equally to the requirements of sugar in milk. Tiffany’s proposed MILK Act is a sham and is designed to fool those who don’t know better and does nothing to put money in the pockets of dairy farmers. Tiffany is using farmers for his own political gains.
What Tiffany doesn’t want you to know is that fluid milk sales don’t pay the bills. Never has. Milk pricing for farmers is extremely complicated from component pricing and classification to federal milk orders that vary across the country. But the bottom line is fluid milk accounts for only a small percentage of the check. Processors and wholesalers make the money. The farmers share of the market has been in decline for more than 50 years.
Meanwhile corporations have seen their profits reach record highs not seen in 70 years. CEO profits are at 50year highs. As consumers we have had to pay the price of inflation these last few years all the while big business rakes in record profits from raising prices for no apparent reason. This is the real cause of inflation not workers’ wages or whatever excuse Republicans are pushing.
If Tiffany was truly concerned for his constituents he would stop whistling for dogs with his phony bill to protect dairy farmers and go where the money is. Corporate consolidation is everywhere in America, from Big Ag, Big Food, Big Oil, Big Pharma, the list goes on. If this bill were to pass, processors will benefit far more than farmers.
When America was facing the debt ceiling crisis, a crisis manufactured solely by Tiffany and his fellow hardline Republicans, he voted against your best interests and voted to not pay his bills and send the economy plummeting. Most of us would agree not paying the bills is irresponsible, let alone destroying the economy. A bipartisan deal is always a win for the American people and that’s how it should be. But Tiffany isn’t interested in working together and doing what’s good for the American people.
If you want to support dairy farmers this June Dairy Month then go to a dairy breakfast. Buy and enjoy the many products dairy has to offer.
But more importantly remember don’t buy any bologna from Tiffany. He doesn’t care about farmers and he doesn’t care about you.
A big thank you to all businesses and individuals who have donated money this past month during our poppy drive for the VFW Post 2227 and their auxiliary. Your support is very much appreciated. The money will be used to assist disabled and hospitalized veterans as well as the VFW National Home for orphans and widows of veterans.
Thank you.
Your buddy poppy chairperson, Margaret Mateer
