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No sugar-coating struggles in dairy

The CEO of Midwest Dairy isn’t sugar-coating the challenges facing U.S. dairy farmers.

Lucas Lentsch says the past two to three years have been difficult from a profitability standpoint.

“Multi-generation families are really looking hard in the mirror to see if they can make it through to next year (and) get through this low point in the economy around agriculture.  That pain is real.”

Speaking to Brownfield at the NAFB Convention in Kansas City, he says this year’s trade disputes have had more than a $1.5 billion-dollar impact on U.S. dairy farms.

Lentsch is encouraged by organizations he says are poised to help lead the conversation around trade.

“We’re happy we’ve got folks like former Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack heading up the U.S. Dairy Export Council.  Folks like Jim Mulhern at the National Milk Producers Federation, and Michael Dykes, CEO at the International Dairy Foods Association.”

He points out with one out of every seven gallons of milk being exported, there are tremendous opportunities outside the U.S.