Hundreds of Vermont dairy farms have shut down in the past decade, dropping upwards of 40 percent. During most of this consolidation — fewer farms working the same number of cows — milk production rose steadily due to improvements in feed, genetics, and milking technology that increased the yield per cow. But so many farms have stopped milking in recent years that both the number of cows and the amount of milk produced in Vermont are starting to slide, as well.
That’s led lawmakers to explore a controversial solution: requiring that farmers be paid more for their milk, something a few states, including Maine and Pennsylvania, already have undertaken.
