Dartmouth senior
writer Kirk Kardashian discusses the failing economics of the traditional small
dairy farm and we hear about a new book of photographs chronicling farms and
farmers in the northeast.
We look at how "value-added" products shape the future of Vermont’s dairy farms, hear about research at Norwich University into Transcendental Meditation and take a winter walk on Maquam Bog.
At a time of great uncertainty and political turmoil over the federal budget, the U.S. Agriculture Undersecretary says one thing is certain: everyone will take a hit, including dairy farmers.
Congressman
Peter Welch says he hopes to use his new assignment on the House Agriculture Committee
as a way to push for a comprehensive reform of the federal dairy pricing
system. Welch says it will be difficult for many Vermont dairy farmers to stay in business unless a reform
plan is adopted by Congress.
Congress will pay dairy farmers one time emergency aid payments of between $5,000 and $25,000 to help offset low milk prices. But many wonder if it will be enough? Also, a Vermont author looks into the history of female astronauts.