April 2019: news roundup

Dairy Farms: Part of the Climate Solution | Must be the Milk

According to the EPA, U.S. agriculture contributes 9% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. Half comes from animal production, the other half from crop farming. If we did away with animal agriculture, there would be only a 2.6% reduction in total emissions…. Why so little?….

Farmer’s share of food dollar at all-time low | Morning Ag Clips 

For every dollar American consumers spend on food, U.S. farmers and ranchers earn just 14.6 cents, according to a report recently released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS). This value marks a 17 percent decline since 2011 and the smallest portion of the American food dollar that farmers have received since the USDA began reporting these data in 1993. The remaining 85.4 cents cover off-farm costs, including processing, wholesaling, distribution, marketing, and retailing.

Cabot Creamery Cooperative receives the 2019 New Product sofi Award

For Cabot Centennial Cheddar in the Cheese, Cow Milk category!

Dairy farmers push for control of milk supply | Morning Ag Clips

“We’re inviting people to consider whether consumers might pay a few cents more for a gallon of milk in exchange for saving hundreds of dairy farms per year and paying less in taxes for government dairy programs,” said O’Connor, who spoke at the event.

Hedge-fund billionaire Ray Dalio says capitalism needs urgent reform | Market Watch

“Capitalism is now working in a way in which people and companies find it profitable to have policies and make technologies that lessen their people costs, which lessens a large percentage of the population’s share of society’s resources,” Dalio writes. “Those companies and people who are richer have greater buying power, which motivates those who seek profit to shift their resources to produce what the haves want relative to what the have-nots want, which includes fundamentally required things like good care and education for the have-not children.”

Agricultural Resources Facts and Statistics | Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources 

Massachusetts has 7,241 farms on 491,653 acres. The agricultural industry directly provides employment to 22,828 farm employees and produces an annual market value of over $475 million in agricultural goods. The average farm produces $65,624 worth of agricultural products on 68 acres.

Most people waste more food than they think—here’s how to fix it | National Geographic

Systemic efforts to do things like improve our food literacy, reimagine our grocery stores and kitchens, reform date labels, and rethink catered events can make it harder for us to mindlessly waste by adjusting our surroundings, and not guilting or shaming us.

The Best Butter for Baking Is Also the Cheapest | Food52

Cabot came in strong: “Butteriest,” “very strong butter flavor,” “excellent flavor,” “can def taste the butter,” and “ooh nice flavor” were among its many compliments.

Rallying for our Flooded Farmers | Dirt to Dinner

Farmers and ranchers have been devastated by recent flooding, many of which may go out of business after dealing with such loss. However, we can do our part by providing aid to these people who feed our families every day. This could mean donations, volunteering, and supporting changes to regional and national disaster programs that better protect our farmers.

How A 100-Year-Old Vermont Creamery Makes Cheddar Cheese | The Making Of

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