Dear Editor: I read your editorial, “Dairy is a risky business, and you’re OK with that” in the May 7 issue. Risk taking is a great American phenomenon. However, there is no reason dairying should be inherently any riskier than other types of farming. It is heavy government intervention that makes dairy more risky than crop farming, for example.
In the same issue, I also read, “Is cow-calf separation a socially sustainable practice?” by Beth Ventura. I certainly want to know what people’s perceptions are about how a dairy is run. We need to be in touch with our consumers. However, most people have no idea why we do certain things.
As such, they are in no position to offer opinions about how we should run our dairy. Basing practices on opinions or emotion will result in our animals not having the best care possible. We care a great deal about our animals, despite what some people might think. PD
Greg Kropf, Dairyman
Westphalia, Kansas
