Watertown, NY, Aug 04, 2009 — The latest front in the fight against low milk prices is the import market. New York's Chuck Schumer and five other Senators have introduced a bill that would impose higher tariffs on milk protein concentrates, which compete with domestic powdered milk.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has already announced a plan to increase the price support for milk. That would pay dairy farmers an average of $1.50 more for every hundred pounds of milk. Still, one grassroots group estimates farmers are losing $100 per cow every month.

Cornell Cooperative Extension is proposing education to help farmers save money. In cooperation with the Miner Institute, Extension is offering six-week-long courses for dairy farmers beginning in October.

Ron Kuck is a dairy livestock educator for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County. He says dairy farmers are doing everything they can to hang on.