70 percent of farmers make less than a quarter of their income from farming relying on off farm jobs and subsidies for the rest 20 nineteens median farm income is projected to be negative 1449. 00 per year so why are the people responsible for growing our food having to go without. A for 34 years the folks that are made of come together all year long to help those farmers and the industry they work in to better provide for everyone and for one day a year they bring together the biggest names in the country and rock music to celebrate the American Farmer i. Was. The 1st to place this of temper 22nd 1985 and since then farm aid has raised over 53000000. 00 to support of or idea programs to help farming thrive from the most moral corner to the tops of buildings and city centers. Here is farming president Willie Nelson back in 1993 addressing the farm income policy Forum Sponsored by the department of agriculture for the past few years the u. S. D. A. Has been reporting that farm income is
Talked about the profitability of it our cows actually produce half as much today per col in one year as they used to before we started grazing however with this system for every 100 pounds of milk rather than making 0. 50 we might be making 5. 00 dairy farming is and economic engine for wisconsin and is essential to the culture of this state agriculture contributes 88000000000 dollars each year to the states economy and almost half of that comes from dairy Dairy Farmers across the country are laboring right now under extreme pressure earning less for a gallon of milk than it cost them to produce it since 1973 weve lost a staggering 93 percent of this countrys Dairy Producers faced with the possibility of extinction a group of determined Dairy Farmers starting in wisconsin but now from all over the country our work. Thing together to activate communities build power and propose solutions to fix a broken system at the same time a Resolute Group of entrepreneurial women have come togethe
Which is why farm aid keeps going strong. This year the festival was held at the alpine valley music theater in east tri wisconsin deep in the heart of dairy country farm aid showcase some of the most innovative family farmers from around tired nation Whiskey River no rather a. Farm a president of 34 years Country Music icon Willie Nelson opened the festival well 1st of all im glad to see us all year to do. But there is. A lot of help is needed and were glad to be here to offer our support what are those challenges while one is pricing take Dairy Farmers for instance according to the u. S. D. A. Foods 2015 the price of milk paid to farmers has not only been going down but its also unpredictable from month to month making it hard for farmers to absorb that extra cost. Barmaid presented one of the many solution through the small farmer and old traditions on a sense of community through grazing we create a grazing it works it would help the cows be healthier and it was less labor plus the
Around the country talking with family farmers i had a hard time understanding how so many farmers could be losing money if farm income was rising. And then in may of this year the u. S. D. A. Changed the way it figured out farm income to include the average income for farmer households the u. S. D. A. Reported that in 1990 when net farm income was 50 1000000000. 00 the average farm family earned less than 6000. 00 from farm operations. Now here we are some 29 years later and according to the u. S. D. A. Economic Research Service in 2918. 00 net farm income fell to a 12 year ago at just over 59000000000. 00 with a median foreign income of negative 1216. 00 negative. Which is why farm aid keeps going strong. This year the festival was held at the alpine valley music theater in east tri wisconsin deep in the heart of dairy country farm aid showcase some of the most innovative family farmers from around tired nation Whiskey River no rudra farm a president 34 years Country Music icon Willi
29 years later and according to the u. S. D. A. Economic Research Service in 2918. 00 net farm income fell to a 12 year low at just over 59000000000. 00 with a median foreign income of negative 1216. 00 negative. Which is why 4 made keeps going strong. This year the festival was held at the alpine valley music theater in east tri wisconsin deep in the heart of dairy country farm aid showcase some of the most innovative family farmers from around tired nation Whiskey River now rather a. Farm a president of 34 years Country Music icon Willie Nelson opened the festival well 1st of all im glad to see you saw him. But there is. A lot of help is needed and were glad to be here. All for support what are those challenges well one is pricing take Dairy Farmers for instance according to the u. S. D. A. Foods 2015 the price of milk paid to farmers has not only been going down but its also unpredictable from month to month making it hard for farmers to absorb that extra cost farm aid presented 1.