Challenges for dairy farmers

Perhaps the biggest challenge for dairy farmers are milk prices. Milk prices are set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture using formulas, which many farmers say are arcane, based on the current value of dairy products like cheese, dry whey and butter. The formula is complicated and changes frequently, so farmers never know what prices they’re going to get for their milk as they’re producing it. But over the last four years, they’ve known one thing is certain: the prices are too low.