Been working on and off on business plan for banker this past week. Not enough hours in the day to work on this and get it done. Pretty worn out by the time I get home and it's bedtime by 9 pm or 10pm. Should be working on it instead of blogging, but it's stress relief to write about it.
Every dairy farmer out there knows there's not enough milk money to pay all the bills. So the exercise for the business plan is to show how I can reduce those losses. Number 1: pay me more for my milk! We all know that's not happening any time soon. A few States out there (Vermont, Maine, and Arkansas) are working on programs to help the dairy farmers. But let's get real, 50 cents to a dollar help is worthless when you're talking about $6.00/cwt losses. Our Co-Op (DFA) is going to send us 3 cents/cwt patronage advance. wheeeeee!
Weather report. 72 degrees and breezy with chance of 30 mph plus winds for later in the day.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Another Week Gone!
Didn't realize it's been a week already since the last posting. Where did the time go? It's a very warm 88 degrees at 04:51 pm with a nice breeze. Waiting for the advance check to hit the bank tonight, let's see if there's any improvement in our pay prices. Shouldn't hold my breath, we're paid on the "lower of" Class III or Class IV announced price by the FMMO.
It's really evident now more than ever that this "milk pricing system" is broke, broke, broke! Can't believe that we're not moving faster to remedy this system. More and more dairymen being forced out of business. Can't wait for the public outcry about milk prices when this turns around by year end and price go up and up for the remaining surviving dairymen.
Well, that's today rant for now.
It's really evident now more than ever that this "milk pricing system" is broke, broke, broke! Can't believe that we're not moving faster to remedy this system. More and more dairymen being forced out of business. Can't wait for the public outcry about milk prices when this turns around by year end and price go up and up for the remaining surviving dairymen.
Well, that's today rant for now.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Long Long Week
It's 06:00 pm on Thursday and I'm still in the office. It's been this since last Friday and it's getting old, very old. Hopefully one or two more days of this will be enough to catch up on all the work.
Next week will include a visit to the Doctor for a checkup, one district meeting for the southwest area of Dairy Producers of New Mexico, and a DPNM Board of Directors meeting in Ruidoso, NM. Thanks goodness they are all on different days so I sort of relax.
Just answered a quick question about pounds of milk shipped daily and pounds of feed fed to the cows. Milk shipped 172,000 +/- pounds per day and 169,000 +/- pounds of feed fed. Trouble is that I'm paid .093 cents per pound for milk, but feed costs .105 cents per pound. Looking at what I just wrote, and I can't think of what else to say about the situation of milk price vs feed costs.
Quick weather update, 60 degrees and windy, makes for a cool afternoon for southern New Mexico.
Next week will include a visit to the Doctor for a checkup, one district meeting for the southwest area of Dairy Producers of New Mexico, and a DPNM Board of Directors meeting in Ruidoso, NM. Thanks goodness they are all on different days so I sort of relax.
Just answered a quick question about pounds of milk shipped daily and pounds of feed fed to the cows. Milk shipped 172,000 +/- pounds per day and 169,000 +/- pounds of feed fed. Trouble is that I'm paid .093 cents per pound for milk, but feed costs .105 cents per pound. Looking at what I just wrote, and I can't think of what else to say about the situation of milk price vs feed costs.
Quick weather update, 60 degrees and windy, makes for a cool afternoon for southern New Mexico.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Looking for Milk Check
Tuesday morning started cloudy and breezy with current temp of 60 degrees. Just checked to see if milk check posted to the checking account, no deposit made by DFA. I guess it will post tonight for tomorrow's work.
This milk income problem grows slowly every day, payments getting behind 30, 60, and some 90 days now. Most of all our suppliers are being very understanding, and are working with us for payments due them. Paying extra interest charges to some, and making minimum payments plus interest to others.
Very hard to pay 100% of the bills with 60% of the milk money needed to break even over the past four months. Eighteen more days for the CWT bid period, closes on May 1st, 2009. It looks like it will be a bloodbath for at least 200,000 cows and maybe 400 dairymen and dairywomen. It's really a shame for just 3% overproduction of total milk needed for the U.S. consumers.
This milk income problem grows slowly every day, payments getting behind 30, 60, and some 90 days now. Most of all our suppliers are being very understanding, and are working with us for payments due them. Paying extra interest charges to some, and making minimum payments plus interest to others.
Very hard to pay 100% of the bills with 60% of the milk money needed to break even over the past four months. Eighteen more days for the CWT bid period, closes on May 1st, 2009. It looks like it will be a bloodbath for at least 200,000 cows and maybe 400 dairymen and dairywomen. It's really a shame for just 3% overproduction of total milk needed for the U.S. consumers.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Easter Weekend
A cool and windy Saturday with slight chance for rain. Perfect day to stay indoors.
Milk price situation hasn't improved much over the past couple of months. Two more weeks to bid the latest CWT program before the May 1st cutoff date. Really can't come up with any words to describe the tension in waiting to see how many dairymen go out on this round of bids.
This price roller coaster of ups and downs has changed this time with a terrible crash in this down cycle. We will all have to pick up the pieces and rebuild before any chance of riding the next up cycle, and for sure there will be alot less riders.
Enough doom and gloom, Happy Easter and keep all your family and friends in your prayers.
Milk price situation hasn't improved much over the past couple of months. Two more weeks to bid the latest CWT program before the May 1st cutoff date. Really can't come up with any words to describe the tension in waiting to see how many dairymen go out on this round of bids.
This price roller coaster of ups and downs has changed this time with a terrible crash in this down cycle. We will all have to pick up the pieces and rebuild before any chance of riding the next up cycle, and for sure there will be alot less riders.
Enough doom and gloom, Happy Easter and keep all your family and friends in your prayers.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
BACK ON THE BLOG - ME TOO!
Just read Will Gilmer's blog (http://gilmerdairy.blogspot.com/) and had to laugh a little about the past hectic days he's had lately. I've had the same problem of keeping up with daily postings too.
It's 68 degrees here in Southern New Mexico with the spring wind blowing and a chance of rain also in the next few days. Will be out of town Wednesday and Thursday to attend a DairyMAX board meeting in Grand Prairie, TX to review program reports and updates. For more information on what DairyMAX does in promotion for the NM, TX, OK, and KS areas, go to www.dairymax.org
Next week we'll do a weight day to check production per cow and see how many losers are in the herd. Times are very tough these days and we can't afford to hold cows that don't pay their way.
Well, that's it's for me, I'm going back to Will's website and check out the edopt-a-cow link.
It's 68 degrees here in Southern New Mexico with the spring wind blowing and a chance of rain also in the next few days. Will be out of town Wednesday and Thursday to attend a DairyMAX board meeting in Grand Prairie, TX to review program reports and updates. For more information on what DairyMAX does in promotion for the NM, TX, OK, and KS areas, go to www.dairymax.org
Next week we'll do a weight day to check production per cow and see how many losers are in the herd. Times are very tough these days and we can't afford to hold cows that don't pay their way.
Well, that's it's for me, I'm going back to Will's website and check out the edopt-a-cow link.
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