Due to a growing global economy, unpredictable water supply and rising feed costs, dairy
farmers in San Joaquin County are bracing themselves for another uncertain year in 2011.
Farmers are optimistic that they won’t experience a year similar to 2009, when dairy prices
plummeted and farms were foreclosed on, but they aren’t betting on dairy to unseat grapes as
the San Joaquin’s County’s top agricultural commodity. Higher feed prices, coupled with less
alfalfa being cultivated throughout the state, are squeezing dairy farmers. Constant regulations
also create potential headaches for dairy farmers in 2011. For the full story click here.