Confusing the Problem

(click to enlarge)


The recent House sub-committee hearings on dairy, opening statements are available at:

http://agriculture.house.gov/hearings/statements.html

On July 28, 2009 Tom Suber of the U.S. Dairy Export Council present a graph in his testimony.

http://agriculture.house.gov/testimony/111/h072809/Suber.pdf

The same graph was presented in NMPF testimony on July 14, 2009.

http://agriculture.house.gov/testimony/111/h071409/Wakefield.doc

NMPF and U.S. Dairy Export Council share an office and also share a pile of dairy farmers checkoff money. So, it is not surprising the two organizations would have the same spin.

However, the graph is, in my opinion, misleading because it lumps all dairy products together as solids. There is a world of difference between dairy solids. While we might not be exporting as much NFDM, we certainly are importing a great deal more butterfat.

Furthermore, the CCC purchases of NFDM have effectively taken much of the NFDM from the market.