Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-Willsboro) was in Lewis County Wednesday to hear concerns from residents in Lowville. The biggest issue on the minds of people there was the price of milk.
Coffee and boxes of donuts were passed around the Lewis County Municipal Building for an event Stefanik calls “Coffee with your Congresswoman."
Steve Craiger is a retired airman. While sipping on a cup of coffee with cream, he said he came to ask the Congresswoman what she plans to do to help farmers who are struggling with the drop in milk prices.
“They are throwing out their milk. They can’t get their milk to market. This is very bad for local farmers,” Craiger said.
Dairy prices have been very high for a couple years. But this year, the market is literally flooded with too much milk. Farmers expanded their herds to meet the need of the Greek yogurt business. Fewer people are buying milk and less is being exported overall. This all means farmers are getting less money for a gallon of milk.
Craiger said he was impressed with how much Stefanik understood about the issue and was satisfied with her answer.
“She said she is going to do what she can do open up trade for these farmers in Asia. We need to get that trade opened up,” Craiger said.
Congress will soon be considering trade legislation that may open up trade with new markets in Asia. Stefanik’s office also said she is a strong advocate for trading more with our Canadian neighbors.
