Drought And Dairy

Here's a paragraph from the Press Democrat, June 9, 2021.

"Dairy farms in western Sonoma that rely on surface water are also quickly running low. Since each dairy cow drinks 30 to 40 gallons of water a day, larger dairies whose ponds have almost dried up are trucking in 35,000 to 40,000 gallons of water A DAY from local water haulers, Tesconi said. Water truckers haul recycled municipal water provided by Sonoma County."

It is concerning that in 2021 we are still a population that can read blaring evidence of exactly why we have no water and who is draining us dry, yet react by saying, "How can we help them use up whatever water is left?"

The most unsustainable form of "food" production that exists, dairy, is also an industry experiencing a glut.  Meaning we already have more than can be sold.  Here's a quote from the New York Times.  "The amount of waste is staggering. The nation’s largest dairy cooperative, Dairy Farmers of America, estimates that farmers are dumping as many as 3.7 million gallons of milk each day.
And the only reason the portion of product that is being sold can be sold at the price it is sold is because we the taxpayers subsidize this industry with billions of dollars every year.  

We don't need it.  We have too much.  It drains the economy.  It drains our rivers, lakes, and aquifers.  Turns out it's not even healthy. Yet all we can say is, "Let's keep this going no matter what it takes."  ​

Recycled or not, all this water comes from somewhere.  "Somewhere" is a real place that we conveniently keep as an abstract concept, but in reality means where that water is naturally meant to be, but is no longer there.  In turn that means every living creature that needed that water no longer has it. 

That means dead plants, dead animals, and topsoil that is ready to blow away in the wind because no organic matter has survived to hold it in place.  

#dairy #drought #dairyequalsdrought #sonoma #pressdemocrat #pointreyes