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Then they have the right to figure out a way to pay for them. All that "free" money you think we should be giving away comes from somewhere, and a lot of us are tired of paying for it.

Today I learned that fish eggs can pass through a ducks digestive system unharmed and hatch. This is how remote, seemingly pristine bodies of water are sometimes stocked with fish. Source

http://SpaceX wants to go to Mars. To get there, environmentalists say it’s trashing Texas https://www.npr.org/2024/10/10/nx-s1-5145776/spacex-texas-wetlands Who watched the movie 'Erin Brockovich'? Do you remember "hexavalent chromium"? Seems like we should know better.... and state and federal regulations should be enforced, not just pushed aside. (If you have never watched it - you should!!)

Could not have said it better myself. You also said it nicer than I would have. Lol all of us hate the whole welfare/snap/wic system. Especially me!! Because where was it when my family was down to 1 paycheck and struggling? We could not even get the most basic of help which at that time was WIC

Giving them incentive to pop out more paychecks is a good start? If you cant afford to have a baby quit spreading your legs.

not sure if i mentioned it before, but there is a big potential draw flowing right through the city and much of CHemung COunty as well. the river has long been blamed( unjustly in many cases) for many of the area's woes; why not finally benefit from it? work with DEC and other sportsmens clubs in the area to develop sections of it for trophy fishing which could not only draw folks in for that but also potentially for small businesses related to the industry. expanding on that kayak/canoe seems to be pretty popular in other areas, why not encourage that as well?

The city council approved this at last night's meeting: Source

visit in, shop in, travel through....

Oh wow … a committee on homelessness. Well shit , that should do the trick!!

Full disclosure, as Adam has stated in the past “ they are called Leaves for a reason “ , leave em ! And truthfully I rather enjoy seeing how fine I can chop them up with the mower .

Apparently last night was the first home game for the Jackals, Mammoth, River Sharks, Enforcers Aviators and it was sparsly attended, at least according to Councilman Brinn's recent post: This is, as anyone who's been paying attention to this for the past 20+ years, it's simply not sustainable. This is not a "hockey town," no matter how much they spend and try to guilt trip people into making it one. When will they get it through their heads?!?

that wasnt in support of TIK TOK btw, just noting that at least we can feel comfortable our politicians will only let our kids get addicted to AMERICAN social media...

Excellent point. I don’t know how or why that BS notion got started or why it seems to thrive. Exactly. TA, Love’s, Flying J, Buckey’s.....the list goes on. All very clean, very well-lit and very safe. Unlike rest areas that are unattended and poorly lit, truck stops are actually known for being the safest place to stop, take a break and even sleep in your vehicle. I’ve known many people (particularly females who travel alone) who attest to this.

Completely agree with this. I was going to mention the sketchy truck lot on Water in my prior comment which is right practically right smack across the street from an apartment complex. Stopping at a TA or other big truck stop is my preference when traveling. They are clean, have good choices for food and very well lit and attended. I have never had a concern about one ever. Middle of no where roadside rest areas also give me the creeps.

Don’t forget the Dandy Mini Mart across the street.

After watching the plans for this nightmare unfold … there just so many things wrong here ! #1 - right next to an elementary school #2 - ingress and egress will be a Charlie Foxtrot , #3 - imagine the traffic at school bus and work time traffic coming from 86 and Jerusalem Hill merging into one lane to get to Church Street , now add in truck traffic . #4 - a “ walkway “ across from Beecher school , not to mention the walking trail on Newtown Creek … walk ways … for what , or shall I say whom ?! The hookers , drug dealers and street urchins will be the only ones benefiting ! This is NOT the location for a truck stop City Officials , but they are already counting the tax dollars they believe will be just flowing in ! But hell in a few years the County Taxpayers will help the City by shouldering the City’s screw up Again… can you say First Arena !!

You're right they do. So why should I or anyone else pay for them?

State or the Legislature Address.... Or well, at least the state of this Legislator. I'm a year and a half into my term and really feel I've found my footing and am really ready to climb some mountains and take charge of seeing changes I envision for the community come to light. I got home earlier today from a NYSAC (NY Association of Counties) conference and if any of you have attended some form of youth group retreat or other such conference, you know that you come home on this high. Your mind is racing with all the possibilities and how great you feel and how great life is going to be. But, it fizzles. You get back to the daily grind and you lose that fire. I do not want that to happen here. I took in so much amazing training and connected with many county leaders across the state and heard/saw things that they are getting right in their counties and I want that here. When I got back into town, the first thing I did was head into the office and help deal with some things. Tax season seems to be never ending and I needed to tie up some ends. Whiel scrolling through lovely FB, I saw a post from CCE regarding the volunteer fair being held this afternoon at the Meals on Wheels location. This fit so well into my need to stay connected, so off I went. I spoke to 11ish organizations and asked them these questions: Where are you finding your struggle is in reaching volunteers? Are you finding a disconnect in getting information to people? And what can I do to help you (besides volunteer) as a legislator? I had a great hour and a half of conversations with each of them and came away with even more to add to the hamster wheel of thoughts spinning through my brain causing me to not sleep the past three days. Now I am home and doing the one thing that is always so hard to do - finding a starting place. My starting place is 1) making a list 2)reaching out to readers here. This has always been a great source of knowledge and amazing dialogue. With that very wordy opening, here is my list/action plan to move towards being part of building a community that is attractive for our kids to want to stay in and for people to want to come to play/work in. 1) Speak to leaders of CCC and Elmira college to get permission to do a student video montage with intent to create a resource for leaders to understand the challenges that generation is facing in regards to figuring out where they want to go once they graduate. What are they looking for in a place to live and work? What challenges are they facing to achieve there goals for adulthood? When they consider housing, what are they attracted to? What do they see their involvement in local politics to look like? What stops them from wanting to be involved? How do they feel about volunteering? What motivates them or what stops them? Then take this video and present it to all the leaders and organization in the county to create an action plan to address the issues raised. 2) Get a solid start on the political mentorship program. Utilize this to prepare and train those that are interested in running for an elected position to not feel like they are stumbling in the dark. Also use this to help connect those that want to serve on community service boards. 3) Host community input events. Engage in hearing the needs facing the community and then work with moderators to address those topics. 4) Push for a tourism/community event/parks and recreations type of department within the county to do a better job at bringing in tourism and also at promoting events from all organizations with the county to the community. There's more. So much more. But a lot simply revolves around input from the community. So don't be surprised if a throw in a survey here and there. I'm still working on bringing the leadership into the vision of some sort of call in public comment service. So yep. There's all that. Any of you that know me enough to have talked with me in public probably would say I'm quieter - not a huge talker. Not really expressive. But let me tell you, right now my husband would give you a complete different picture. Right now is the animated talking and retelling of things that I saw and heard and learned and the ideas swirling and what I want to leave as a legacy and I pace when I talk and I have asthma so the breathless is real. LOL. Please please please, keep bringing me your feedback and keep engaging here. I try to read through post daily but definitly once a week and I take it all in.

I think I’d heard something a few months ago (probably a news conference or IDA interview) along the lines of “here’s some stuff that’s in the works”. But apparently not enough advertising that I caught any specific date/time details on TV/radio commercials, etc running up to it. I live in Chemung County, but have received mailers from the Gaffer District with a calendars of events in Corning. That could be something that events in Elmira might want to consider. Active (paid) advertising is an important tool to reach those people who don’t follow or subscribe to newsletters or pages where it was announced. It would be interesting to hear numbers on attendance for various Arena events to see how their turnout is. That could help identify whether different events and/or approaches to PR and advertising need to be assessed.

This is an area that I hear indirect feedback on quite a bit - "I wish I had known about that before". There is great room for imporvement in marketing area events, while understanding not everyone will be reached everytime. It's definitly frustrating when someone is wanting to be a conduit for information and they aren't being used.

Saw someone questioning why there was yellow tape around it this past weekend. Guess now we know.

And meanwhile, NBC News is reporting tonight that so far FEMA has given out $220 million in storm relief in the wake of Helene. Excuse me while I work up some joy at that number. Why the hell are we funding this war? Or the one in Ukraine? And not only is the U.S. funding Israel’s war, we’re then sending aid to the people they’re bombing into oblivion. You know what’s cheaper? DON’T PAY FOR OR PROVIDE THE BOMBS! The best analogy I can think of for this is seeing a section of your house on fire and you decide to pour gasoline on the garage.

It’s kind of a blog platform.

Riiiigght....

I wonder if this is a paid committee or volunteer

I just watched that press conference. While McDermott is a little too conservative at times, I'll give him and Josh both a lot of credit. When things go wrong, they take responsibility for it. That's a quality of a true leader.

October can be the quintessential autumn month full of sunshine, changing foliage and mellow breezes, or, it can rain, blow, and even, very occasionally, snow. Kerm used to schedule a multi-county 4-H horse show on Columbus Day weekend, and several times, there was rain and twice, there was snow. And there have been a few snowy Halloweens. We’ll hope for a sunny and mellow October this year; we have a couple of road trips in mind, and want really good weather. Then too, family will be coming to our house for a get-together, and we’d hope roads would be good for their drive and for hiking up our “dragon-infested” hill (we put up a sign that said: “Beyond this there may be dragons!”). We’d like that perfect October day, when it is as though angels had made a night visit to touch up the leaves; making everything delightfully crisp, colorful and exhilarating. I’m glad my brain accepts angels and dragons; it makes life more interesting. While leaves are dancing in the breezes outside, inside, it is time for people-dancing. Community dances usually begin in the fall, and there will be the polka, square dancing and line dancing. Sadly, I don’t think I have energy or balance for either the polka or square dancing, but maybe line-dancing would work. FYI, the gem of the month is the opal (found largely in Australia), and the flower is the marigold, which is a bit odd since in many places, marigolds would be frosted by October. But the frilly blossoms do hold all the gold, mahogany, reds and oranges of fall. I thought I had none, but yesterday, I found three plants peeking brightly out from beneath the weeds. We have several family and friend birthdays in October. My brother, Ken’s birthday was at the end of October, often celebrated with a yummy molasses cake, and just a day later, Kerm’s parents marked their wedding anniversary. My sister-in-law celebrates her birthday mid-month as does a good friend. So, it is a month of festivities and memories. It is also, annually,a time to adjust things in my house, energy permitting. With Kerm’s help, I rearranged the living room a week ago. This is not an easy task; the room isn’t all that large so there are not many choices for some of the large furniture. Things like the book case, the wood stove and a desk are sort of permanently in place. But I do what I can to change the setting a bit. Both sons dropped in at different times, but their query was the same – “Hmm --- you rearranged things. What prompted that?” Maybe their wives don’t disrupt things when they are once in place, but you’d think the boys would remember that pulling chairs and tables around and about is something I’ve always done. Moving furniture gives me a fresh perspective on life. And it also encourages some deeper cleaning than the norm. October, delightful though it might be, isn’t all bubbles and happiness. We were with a group of friends lately, chatting about many things, as in "The time has come, the Walrus said, to talk of many things. Of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings ---and when the sea is boiling hot--- and whether pigs have wings!” Naturally, there was discussion of the looming election, which for most of us, created a heaviness of spirit. Then, the fall season itself, can, for some, bring discouragement and even, depression. Difficult events at the same time, can worsen this feeling; dancing is the las thing that depression wishes to do, and there seem to be many more dragons than angels! As sunny days grow fewer in the Finger Lakes, the gray skies can bring bleak attitudes, rather like an emotional flu bug. Gloom that might vanish on a sunny warm day, hangs around and grows darker when the skies are gray or spitting out precipitation of some sort. I have written before about depression because I have lived with it several times, as have a number of friends; it is neither fun to work through, nor easy to disperse. Those who have not experienced it are usually clueless about its depth and difficulties. Admittedly, it is hard on the people around us when depression hits, but more understanding of the ailment and continued patience, can help. We need to talk about it! Depression, like any other ailment, can become even more serious if left too long untended. An analogy would be a broken leg; painful, but repairable. But if one leaves a broken leg untreated, infection may set in, then gangrene, and one might end up losing that leg, or even one’s life. Depression may begin as a light case of “the blues.” But it can rapidly become a heavy enough cloud to engulf a person, who to needs the intervention of professional help. Help may be talk- therapy or medication therapy, or both. There are also things that we can do individually that may hurry the process on. Getting out and about (not easy but doable), interacting with other people --- especially those who are light-bearers to the soul are steps in healing. Reading books or watching videos or podcasts that talk about depression will also help, as does journaling. Listening to music, being outside in fresh air and sunshine, and interacting with pets are all things that inspire us, and help to dissipate the block cloud that clogs our minds and spirits. Whatever path we may choose, whichever changes to our lives we need, the important thing is to not ignore our feelings. We need to give ourselves the sort of care that will restore us to ourselves. And I would say to everyone who is deep in despair, repeat these two mantras: “This too shall pass!”* and “I will STAY - the world needs me!”** October is time to ready ourselves for the cold months ahead. This month has enough rain and chilly wind to remind us that worse-weather days are coming. Even if we are not inclined toward depression, winter can be challenging, and we all need ways to get happily through it. We repair the bird feeders, hoping that no more bears come by to pull them down. We check the insulation around Smoke’s cat bed by the back door and make sure there is straw in the former dog abode, for wandering feral cats. Kerm splits more wood and kindling to feed our morning fire in the wood stove. We load up on sunflower seeds for the bird feeders, and chicken scratch for the wild turkeys. We surround the rose bushes and azaleas with burlap, protecting them from both wind and deer. This does help, but the far-too-intelligent deer have learned to lean on the burlap cages, and squiggle their noses in for a leafy tidbit now and then. On Facebook, there is a fun sketch of a squirrel, scurrying up and down a tree, carrying stacks of books to his hole; attempting a good balance of nuts to novels. Appropriate, for one of our fall jobs is to make very sure we have enough books to get us happily through the winter. Of course, we have our own books, and we enjoy re-reading many of them. But we also need some new literary material. We go to used book stores, regular book stores and on-line sources. This might be a very good time to renew library cards; both Spencer and Van Etten have lots of great books, including ones for listening. Too, there are library book sales- one coming up next week in Candor. With sufficient books of many kinds: fiction, non-fiction, biographies, poetry, and even re-reading books from childhood like the Anne of Green Gables series, or the Black Stallion books, you might not even notice the snow blocking your path or the sleet coming down. There is still time to get in any traveling we want to do before the roads become iffy. When I retired, I determined not to subject myself to slippery roads, ever again. I had driven, and ridden, on some perfectly dreadful ones to and from work. This hasn’t completely worked for me (unfortunately, Kerm considers bad roads a challenge!), but mostly I manage to stay inside, safely ensconced in my chair with a book. But October driving can be beautiful here in the northeast. Foliage is brilliant and even if the day is cloudy, the colors lend their light, brightening the day. So, we are off……… As we go dancing (I hope) into Fall, and feel immense gratitude for our suddenly lovely surroundings, I would quote the poet, Mary Oliver: “You might see an angel anytime and anywhere. Of course, you have to open our eyes to a kind of second level, but it’s not really hard. The whole business of what’s reality and what isn’t has never been solved and probably never will be. So, I don’t care to be too definite about anything. I’ll just tell you this: I don’t care how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. It’s enough to know that for some people, they exist and that they dance.”**** ******** Carol Bossard writes from her home in Spencer. She may be reached at: carol42wilde@htva.net. * Quotation taken from the seal ring of a Persian King, centuries ago. ** Quotation from Heather Leindecker *** From The Walrus and the Carpenter by Lewis Carroll **** Mary Oliver –American poet who won the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. This poem and reflection were written in 2014 when I had cancer and pondered the various aspects of my diagnosis. I urge you not to neglect your own self-screening and medical exams… because, if it wasn’t for Ed’s insistence that I take care of myself, I planned to cancel that mammogram… because he was in the midst of several new health crises with procedures and surgery. I just didn’t think I had time in my hectic schedule of working full time and running nearly every afternoon for Ed’s appointments to go for an annual mammogram... Yet, it was that exam which found my cancer… so I share a few thoughts from those days… The artist fills her palette with dabs of paint from among the dark and drab to the bright and colorful. I well remember laying out my paints years ago. I love the smell of the oils, mixing to find just the right shades… then gently brushing color onto the white surface, adding accents along the way, bringing the flat blank canvas to life. Come to think of it though, I haven’t picked up a brush since our youngest was a toddler, decades ago. Unless you count painting house walls and doors! But I also remember how hesitant I was to make those first few brush strokes… fearing mistakes which would ruin the whole composition. Not that my work was ever that good. I simply enjoyed losing myself for hours in creating art… forgetting time, food, and sound. My heart was totally involved in a world of joy of my own making. And I can’t help but wonder how much pleasure our God, as Master Artist, must have enjoyed as He created this world for us to enjoy? Our life’s palette is filled with so much good, so many blessings… the bright colors. But we often don’t like to think about, nor do we welcome, the dark and drab… those difficulties which confront us, and just might ruin our day, or a long string of days. I suspect I’m not alone with a tendency to take life, my family and friends, my surroundings… my blessings… just a little bit for granted. Those were among the thoughts rambling around my mind when this poem was written in 2014, my summer of breast cancer, procedures and surgery. It was a time we were dealing with Ed’s new diagnoses added to multiple others, nearly losing him to a severe bout of pancreatitis (he did not drink alcohol), with his own near-daily appointments, procedures, and surgery, seeking time and space for us as a couple to handle the weight of our concerns… My thoughts since those days have come to echo a book given to me by my daughter, Emily. The author, Ann Voskamp, of “One Thousand Gifts” wrote on pg.90: “Who would ever know the greater graces of comfort and perseverance, mercy and forgiveness, patience and courage, if no shadows fell over a life?” A few pages later (p.97), she pens, “And emptiness itself can birth the fullness of grace because in the emptiness we have the opportunity to turn to God, the only begetter of grace, and there find all the fullness of joy.” The scare which a cancer diagnosis brings can haunt you to the core… for it’s then you come face to face with the brevity of life in a world that continues to hum around you… when more often than not life would whiz on by without a second glance. This poem began as I sat on our deck, taking in the sun’s rays, observing a gorgeous tiny hummingbird swooping in to drink from their favored nectar. This little bird reminded me how much more thankful I was for every second of life… every waking moment… every minute blessing… as I paid closer attention to nature’s beauty around me… For here, surrounding me, but taken for granted, were blessings of joy found in the simplest pleasures… like the voice of God speaking in those moments of solitude and quiet as birds sang melodies of praise … as dawn emerged to overtake the darkness with its brilliance… and as something so tiny and delicate as a hummingbird echoed its Creator’s joy in the art of creation. And with those thoughts came the realization that all of life brings a joy to my soul… whether the dark and drab or the bright and colorful. Each and every experience is a chance to slow down, to welcome the new day, to appreciate what God has allowed me, and you, to journey through… by finding we’re in the midst of His palette of life, His will, and all that He has planned for us to experience and learn from as we draw closer to Him and His great love. The Palette of Life Linda A. Roorda ~ There’s joy in my soul as the sun warms bright And colors of dawn announce a new day Birds stir in nests while I stretch and yawn With thankful heart as dawn awakens. ~ Solitude I seek, Your voice I would hear In the early morn, the cool of the day As light emerges from its slumber dark Bathing our world in brilliant display. ~ So I sit still and listen closely As birds arise to greet a new sun With songs on the wing to gladden the heart, No better way to start a new day. ~ Throughout the hours I hear their chorus Songs from the heart lifting praise with mine As sounds of life between these spruce walls Gently beckon to slow my fast pace. ~ Hummingbirds feed, their wings beating fast With a gentle buzz as they zoom on by Tiny and frail, delicate beauty Feathers glisten in their brilliant hues. ~ Sun shining bright in an azure sky A gentle breeze as leaves flutter slow Shades of all colors in plants surrounding Endless beauty, the blessings of life. ~ These are the things that give joy to life Though they be small, with them the heart sings From morning sunrise to evening sunset Treasures are found wherever we gaze. ~ And may all I do bring honor and praise To creator God whose gifts are bestowed Amid life’s frailty like colors bursting forth With joy in my soul, the palette of life. ~~ Linda Roorda writes from her home in Spencer.

On second thought... Source

Have a lot of friends who know this family. Sounds like it was a medical issue that started it.

Running a dairy farm isn’t easy, especially when the costs of production rise faster than income. AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall by Elizabeth Eckelkamp, University of Tennessee Milton Orr looked across the rolling hills in northeast Tennessee. “I remember when we had over 1,000 dairy farms in this county. Now we have less than 40,” Orr, an agriculture adviser for Greene County, Tennessee, told me with a tinge of sadness. That was six years ago. Today, only 14 dairy farms remain in Greene County, and there are only 125 dairy farms in all of Tennessee. Across the country, the dairy industry is seeing the same trend: In 1970, over 648,000 U.S. dairy farms milked cattle. By 2022, only 24,470 dairy farms were in operation. While the number of dairy farms has fallen, the average herd size – the number of cows per farm – has been rising. Today, more than 60% of all milk production occurs on farms with more than 2,500 cows. Dairy farm numbers have fallen over the past few decades, but larger farms have kept the overall number of cows fairly steady. USDA This massive consolidation in dairy farming has an impact on rural communities. It also makes it more difficult for consumers to know where their food comes from and how it’s produced. As a dairy specialist at the University of Tennessee, I’m constantly asked: Why are dairies going out of business? Well, like our friends’ Facebook relationship status, it’s complicated. The problem with pricing The biggest complication is how dairy farmers are paid for the products they produce. In 1937, the Federal Milk Marketing Orders, or FMMO, were established under the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act. The purpose of these orders was to set a monthly, uniform minimum price for milk based on its end use and to ensure that farmers were paid accurately and in a timely manner. Farmers were paid based on how the milk they harvested was used, and that’s still how it works today. Does it become bottled milk? That’s Class 1 price. Yogurt? Class 2 price. Cheddar cheese? Class 3 price. Butter or powdered dry milk? Class 4. Traditionally, Class 1 receives the highest price. Do you know where your milk comes from? AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki There are 11 FMMOs that divide up the country. The Florida, Southeast and Appalachian FMMOs focus heavily on Class 1, or bottled, milk. The other FMMOs, such as Upper Midwest and Pacific Northwest, have more manufactured products such as cheese and butter. For the past several decades, farmers have generally received the minimum price. Improvements in milk quality, milk production, transportation, refrigeration and processing all led to greater quantities of milk, greater shelf life and greater access to products across the U.S. Growing supply reduced competition among processing plants and reduced overall prices. Along with these improvements in production came increased costs of production, such as cattle feed, farm labor, veterinary care, fuel and equipment costs. Researchers at the University of Tennessee in 2022 compared the price received for milk across regions against the primary costs of production: feed and labor. The results show why farms are struggling. From 2005 to 2020, milk sales income per 100 pounds of milk produced ranged from $11.54 to $29.80, with an average price of $18.57. For that same period, the total costs to produce 100 pounds of milk ranged from $11.27 to $43.88, with an average cost of $25.80. On average, that meant a single cow that produced 24,000 pounds of milk brought in about $4,457. Yet, it cost $6,192 to produce that milk, meaning a loss for the dairy farmer. More efficient farms are able to reduce their costs of production by improving cow health, reproductive performance and feed-to-milk conversion ratios. Larger farms or groups of farmers – cooperatives such as Dairy Farmers of America – may also be able to take advantage of forward contracting on grain and future milk prices. Investments in precision technologies such as robotic milking systems, rotary parlors and wearable health and reproductive technologies can help reduce labor costs across farms. Regardless of size, surviving in the dairy industry takes passion, dedication and careful business management. Some regions have had greater losses than others, which largely ties back to how farmers are paid, meaning the classes of milk, and the rising costs of production in their area. There are some insurance and hedging programs that can help farmers offset high costs of production or unexpected drops in price. If farmers take advantage of them, data shows they can functions as a safety net, but they don’t fix the underlying problem of costs exceeding income. Passing the torch to future farmers Why do some dairy farmers still persist, despite low milk prices and high costs of production? For many farmers, the answer is because it is a family business and a part of their heritage. Ninety-seven percent of U.S. dairy farms are family owned and operated. Some have grown large to survive. For many others, transitioning to the next generation is a major hurdle. The average age of all farmers in the 2022 Census of Agriculture was 58.1. Only 9% were considered “young farmers,” age 34 or younger. These trends are also reflected in the dairy world. Yet, only 53% of all producers said they were actively engaged in estate or succession planning, meaning they had at least identified a successor. How to help family dairy farms thrive In theory, buying more dairy would drive up the market value of those products and influence the price producers receive for their milk. Society has actually done that. Dairy consumption has never been higher. But the way people consume dairy has changed. Americans eat a lot, and I mean a lot, of cheese. We also consume a good amount of ice cream, yogurt and butter, but not as much milk as we used to. Does this mean the U.S. should change the way milk is priced? Maybe. The FMMO is currently undergoing reform, which may help stem the tide of dairy farmers exiting. The reform focuses on being more reflective of modern cows’ ability to produce greater fat and protein amounts; updating the cost support processors receive for cheese, butter, nonfat dry milk and dried whey; and updating the way Class 1 is valued, among other changes. In theory, these changes would put milk pricing in line with the cost of production across the country. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is also providing support for four Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives to help dairy farmers find ways to keep their operations going for future generations through grants, research support and technical assistance. Another way to boost local dairies is to buy directly from a farmer. Value-added or farmstead dairy operations that make and sell milk and products such as cheese straight to customers have been growing. These operations come with financial risks for the farmer, however. Being responsible for milking, processing and marketing your milk takes the already big job of milk production and adds two more jobs on top of it. And customers have to be financially able to pay a higher price for the product and be willing to travel to get it. Elizabeth Eckelkamp is Associate Professor of Animal Science and Dairy Extension Specialist at University of Tennessee This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.