The decline in the number of dairy farms has slowed, but the losses are not likely to be made up soon, according to Eric Paulson, vice president and treasurer of the Virginia State Dairymenâs Association.
âIt has stabilized a lot,â Paulson said. âEven in the pandemic, 2020 was still better than 2019 was.â
Virginia lost one dairy farm every two weeks during the later parts of 2019, while in the middle of the year the commonwealth was losing two dairy farms a week on average, according to previously provided data. Since 2014, dairy farmers have been battered by low prices resulting from decreasing demand for liquid milk.