In the current economy of decreased
milk prices and increased input costs,
commercial dairy operations are
seeking lower cost feed alternatives
to maintain or improve productivity
while reducing feed costs. Although
unstable milk prices are not uncommon
for the mainstream dairy industry,
the organic dairy sector of the
industry has recently had unprecedented
changes. The price of organic
corn has more than doubled in the
last 18 mo (USDA-Agricultural Marketing
Service; http://www.ams.usda.
gov/mnreports/gx_gr120.txt). Additionally,
organic milk processors announced
an unprecedented reduction
in organic milk pay price and other
significant changes in milk contracts
in early 2009.