State, UW to join forces to confront Wisconsin dairy crisis

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The state agriculture department is joining forces with the University of Wisconsin System to create a dairy industry task force as the industry struggles with collapsed milk and other commodity prices.

Gov. Scott Walker announced creation of the task force Tuesday.

He says officials from UW and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection will come up with recommendations on ways to maintain a viable and profitable dairy industry in the state.

Prices have been low for the last three years because of an abundance of milk on the market. Wisconsin lost 500 dairy farms in 2017 while the total number of milk-cow herds is down about 20 percent from five years ago.

Walker says creation of the task force will bring industry experts together to create solutions to help farmers, processors and allied industries.

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