FARR WEST, Utah (ABC 4 News) - Several Utah farmers are banning together, asking for financial help in a bad economy.
Ron Stratford's dairy farm has been in his family for four decades, but over the past year, Stratford says he loses money every month.
"The economy is killing us," he said. "I am losing one to two hundred dollars a month per cow...that equals upwards of $10,000 a month."
Stratford isn't alone, which is why he and other farmers are asking the government for help. During a recent press conference, several dairy and hog farmers urged legislators to pass government funding which would not only help them, but also Utah's hungry.
"We want to take the excess product we have, the cheese, yogurt, and make it available for those who need it; those who may not get healthy options like that all the time," Stratford said.
"In order for us to do that, we need the government to set aside a portion of money that people receive from food assistance, and allot it for dairy and meat purchases."
Stratford says if something like this is isn't passed soon, the excess product being produced will go to waste, and farmers will continue to be in jeopardy.
