Pics of Belgian farmers dumping 3 million liters of milk

[jeffbr]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/8259659.stm

What a waste!

[Oregone]

1. Thats going to smell

[LostInAnomie]

4. I can't even imagine.

I used to work at a grocery store years ago and I can remember how bad it would smell when a few of the expired gallons of milk we would throw in the dumpster would burst open after a few days in the heat. I can't imagine what millions of gallons rotting in a field would smell like.

[CC]

2. At least they know how to

make a point and get the attention of the people.

[TxRider]

8. I remember when that happened down here in Texas..

Both mom and dad's families are from Dairy farmers. Mom's here in Texas and Dad's in Michigan.

[elocs]

3. There's no simple or easy way around it for farmers.

To be altruistic means they are out of business and that's where many are headed now, even here in Wisconsin. I can buy a half gallon of skim milk for just 79 cents, with whole mild going for 89 cents a half gallon. Small dairy farmers are being pushed out of business.

[begin_within]

6. A half gallon of any milk here in San Diego is around $3

and California is a milk-producing state (with price controls though). A pack of 3 half-gallons of 1% organic milk at Costco here is $9.99.

[elocs]

12. Odd because CA beats our WI as the #1 dairy state.

Also, because the milk price support is based upon the distance from Eau Claire, WI which is just 90 miles north of me and a long way from California. Here's what I read about it:

Since the 1930s, the federal government has regulated the price of milk according to a cow's distance from Eau Claire, Wis. -- the farther the distance, the higher the price. For example, prices farmers got for milk produced in the Florida swamps averaged $3 more per 100 pounds than in Wisconsin.

From this thread: http://www.fishingminnesota.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1956523/Milk_prices_Whats_driving_the_

It's a good discussion about milk and its price.

[redqueen]

10. Here a gallon is $3 to $5.

Don't buy half-gallons so I don't know the cost... but damn, that seems extremely cheap.

[elocs]

14. That's the price at the Kwik Trips here, the local version of 7/11s.

They are gas station/convenience stores with their own line of things. They set the gas prices in this area.

I buy their milk in the bag from their own dairies with no BGH for 79 cents a half gallon. That's the cheapest price in town, but other prices are not much higher. I can also buy bananas there for 49 cents a pound which is cheaper than at 65 cents at the stores here.

[HereSince1628]

13. Unlike the number of Dr.s, the number of farms and the amount they produce

is limited only by the invisible hand of the market. Farmers are workers, too.

Destroying excess product creates demand. Just like a strike that stops production in a factory.

I have no problem with this. The farmers own the cows, they paid for the care of the cows, and the milk is theirs, to sell or to spray on fields. If people want it then they can pay a price that sustains the farmers.

[elocs]

15. Too often when prices go down farmers simply produce more, further reducing the prices.

I must say that I cannot complain about the price of food in my area. There are also a number of farmers' markets here, one just a half mile from me which I will visit this afternoon.

(By the bye, my family came over on the boat to this country in 1628.)

[wordpix]

17. but ORGANIC milk is hard to find and goes for $5/gal or more

Why don't dairy farmers get on board and feed their cows grass and organic feed?

[elocs]

18. Some are, but the reality where I live is that needy people cannot afford $5/gal milk.

No more than they can afford to pay premium prices for organic fruits and vegetables.

[aikoaiko]

5. Let em make cheese.

to turn a phrase inside out.

[LeftHander]

7. *pphhhhhrrrrtttt....*

Sorry I am lactose intolerant.

[Zywiec]

9. Thank God it wasn't Belgian beer!! n/t

[aikoaiko]

16. Beer and chocolate, two things Belgium does better than France.

that's right, I said it.

[EFerrari]

19. Last time we went to Europe, I was really good about not overeating

until attacked by the smell of Belgian chocolate. That was it for me. lol

[murray hill farm]

11. Will it serve as a...

decent fertalizer on the land ? If so, not so wasted.