Dairy Farmers In Trouble

AUGUSTA (NEWS CENTER) -- Maine dairy farmers packed a meeting room in Augusta Wednesday to tell legislators they need help. Farmers say the price they get for milk has dropped by close to 50% in the last six months. The price is down, experts say, because worldwide demand for milk has dropped as a result of the recession -- and also because of over-production by farms in western states.

Walt Whitcomb, a dairy farmer, said, "This is probably the fastest downturn in prices ever. And it came at a terrible time. It cost us a lot to put our feed in the silo or the barn last summer because the price of fuel and everything else was so high, and then all of a sudden the price fell through the floor. I think in nearby states you're going to see many, many of the dairy farms in other states in New England simply have to quit. The banks will not be able to loan them money."

Legislators said they're all committed to finding ways to keep the state dairy stabilization fund in place, and finding enough money to keep farmers going. Maine has about 360 dairy farms.