The continuing disappearance of dairy farms from the landscape of Northern New England will undoubtedly have some impact upon the flavor and fabric of the region. Land left open by farm loss will most likely be replaced with vast rural estates, second homes for the wealthy, and housing and apartment complexes to house the growing population of a country that has given little thought to its population growth. Once this land is developed it will never again be available for farming. It will become posted and off limits, as much of Northern New England’s residential land has already, no long available to hunters and snowmobilers. This is meaningful because these pursuits provide an escape for urban dwellers. Most of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine is only a three or four hour drive from the Boston area, it’s a quick way to get away for the masses.
As the region begins to look more like the area the urban dwellers seek to escape it will become less appealing and tourist dollars will disappear with the farms. The supply of milk will become more centralized. There will be fewer farms and those remaining will be larger, thus having a greater ability to control the price of milk. Large national and international milk processors, if economic history shows us anything, will buy up these large farms and have even greater control over the price of milk. The region’s milk consumers will therefore eventually pay a monetary price for the loss of the dairy farms. The biggest loss may be, however, one that is somewhat less tangible, but oh-so evident when it’s gone: the loss of the region’s character.
It was a nation of family farmers that helped found the United States. The loss of their voices and opinions, which reflect the values of the farm and independence, could ultimately be the greatest price paid for letting family dairy farms fade away from the landscape.
|
