Time Warner Cable News - 4/13/16

IREDELL COUNTY -- Good news for you at the grocery store! The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a gallon of milk selling for $3.21.  That’s the lowest price in six years. But that’s not good news for everyone. North Carolina dairy producers are facing tough decisions on operating in the red, or going out of business. “We're the biggest dairy producer in North Carolina,” said Dr. Ben Shelton, owner of Rocky River Dairy Farm. “Each morning, it’s about 97 pounds of milk per cow. About 110 thousand pounds a day.” Dr. Shelton’s owned the farm for nearly a quarter of century. But he now faces uncertain times. “2016 looks like it could be a really bad year,” said Dr. Shelton. “We're about 60-65 percent price wise where we were in 2014. It's a global problem. Supply and demand for the whole world is out of balance." There are 43 dairy farmers in Iredell County, making it the largest producer in the state. The slump in milk prices is costing the region millions. “Milk prices for farmers around here are below the break even cost, so when they actually go to the barn in the morning, they're losing money,” said Nancy Keith, County Extension Director COOP Iredell County. Dr. Shelton adds trying to stay afloat is only causing the industry to sink deeper. “Everybody makes more milk and ship more volume to overcome the lack of margin. Then it takes longer for the cycle to work its way through,” said Dr. Shelton. They say you can help, by drinking more milk.