WISCONSIN STATE FARMER (WAUPACA, WISCONSIN) -- Anthony Pahnke is vice president of the Family Farm Defenders and an assistant professor of International Relations at San Francisco State University. He wrote this opinion piece for Wisconsin State Farmer.
“A mega agribusiness merger is in the works, this time in the dairy industry. Dairy Farmers of America, the largest dairy cooperative in the country, reportedly, is looking to purchase Dean Foods, which when it filed for bankruptcy in December of last year, was the largest milk processor and distributor in the United States,” Pahnke wrote.
“Let’s be clear — this takeover would be bad news, only further tilting power in the food system against family farmers and consumers. Instead of more concentration in agriculture, we need less. For this reason, the government should purchase Dean Foods and restructure it in a way that would open markets for farmers.”