Williston Observer

Aug. 20, 2009

Cassie Smith graduated from Champlain Valley Union High last spring after taking a second consecutive Vermont high school girls’singles crown and helping the Redhawks to the Division 1 team title.

 This past weekend, Smith was front and center in the prestigious Jeff Stone Memorial Tennis Tournament and made it through two rounds to the women’s open semifinals before bowing out.

In Saturday’s semis, Smith lost 6-4 and 7-5 to Danika Robison who is a South Burlington native now playing tennis for Skidmore College.

–Mal Boright, Observer correspondent

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 Aug. 20, 2009

After three consecutive one-run losses, the Armadillos turned the tables on Sunday, defeating the Northfield Stars 5-4. With the win, the 11-3 Armadillos kept pace with Charlotte, also sporting an 11-3 record, but seeding ahead of the Dillos due to their victory over Williston last week. “Obviously, we need to win the rest of our games and have someone beat Charlotte for us to take first,” said pitcher/third baseman Pookie Martin.  

Williston erupted for fifteen hits, but left thirteen men on base and had two runners thrown out attempting to take an extra base following a hit. Individual stars for the Dillos were third baseman Darby Crum (3-4, 1 Run); Brent Tremblay (3-4, BB, 1 RBI); catcher Billy “Vegas” Daw (2-3, BB, 1 Run, 1 RBI);  shortstop Greg Bolger (2-4, BB, 1 Run); and center fielder Ray Danis (2-5, 1 RBI).

 On the mound, Martin got his first league start, throwing the first four innings and giving up just one earned run on three hits, all in the first inning, and two walks, while striking out one. He was relieved by Bill Supple, who uncharacteristically faced seven batters but recorded only one out while giving up three runs, two of which were earned, on two hits and three walks. Bolger, who collected the win to improve his record to 4-2, came on with the bases loaded in the fifth and three runs in to retire the next two batters without a run scoring. In total, he hurled the last four and 2/3 scoreless innings, giving up only four hits, striking out four and walking none.

 After Northfield jumped to a 1-0 lead on three singles in the first, the Dillos took a 2-1 lead in the second.  Daw singled, but was forced at second by Crum. After right fielder Dennis Arnold (1-3, BB, 1 Run) reached base on an error, Pete Picard (1-3, Sac., 2 RBI) singled home Crum. Danis followed with a single to score Arnold, but, after Arnold scored, Picard was thrown out at third on the play to end the inning. Williston scored another run in the third when Supple and Bolger singled and Tremblay’s double plated Supple and took a 4-1 lead in the fifth when Bolger and Tremblay and Daw singled home Bolger.While Crum followed with another single, Tremblay was thrown out at the plate trying to score from second.   

 In the fifth, Northfield tied the game by scoring three runs off Supple, who came in at the beginning of the inning to render up two hits, three walks, and an error, while getting just one out.   Bolger relieved with the bases loaded and induced a grounder to short, which resulted in a force out at home, and struck out the next batter to end the inning. The Dillos scored what turned out to be the winning run in the eighth when Daw was hit by a pitch, Crum singled, Arnold walked and Picard plated Daw with a sacrifice fly.

 On Aug. 23, Williston returns to Williston Central to take on the 9-5 Caledonia Bucks. League standings and individual/team statistics may be found at www.scorebook.com. Enter Vermont Senior Baseball League under league name search.

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Blueberry tales

By Ginger Isham

This is our first season with blueberries and Mother Nature sure has cooperated! We have been enjoying them every day and in every way. As well as a great anti-oxidant, the consumption of blueberries keeps us looking young. I recently read an ad in a woman’s magazine that blueberries can actually help you lose tummy flab. They have an effect on how your body processes sugar in relation to fat storage.

I have created the following sauce for vanilla ice cream or your favorite berry ice cream.

Blueberry Sauce

4 cups blueberries, separated

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/4 cup water

pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg

sliced almonds (optional)

Place 2 cups of blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and water in saucepan. Stir and cook over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in rest of blueberries. Cool. Serve over ice cream and garnish with sliced almonds.

Blueberry Crisp

3 cups blueberries

2 tablespoons lemon juice (I omit this if none in house)

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup quick-cooking oatmeal

1/3 cup butter, softened

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of salt

Put blueberries in an 8-by-8-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix the brown sugar, flour, oatmeal, cinnamon, salt and butter. Sprinkle on top of blueberries. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve warm with cream or ice cream.

Fresh Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie

Make your favorite baked one crust pie shell or buy a pre-made one and bake according to directions. Pie shell should be cooled. Whip an 8-ounce package of softened cream cheese and add sugar to taste. Spread over bottom of piecrust. Sprinkle 2 cups of fresh blueberries over the cheese. Put 2 cups blueberries in sauce pan and add 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1/2 cup sugar and pinch of cinnamon. Cook over medium heat, stirring until thickened. Remove from heat and cool. Pour over fresh berries and refrigerate for several hours. Serve with whipped cream, lightly sweetened.

Ginger Isham lives with her husband on a fifth generation family farm on Oak Hill Road.

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A peek at Vermont’s dairy industry

By Mike Benevento

Aug. 20, 2009

As Vermonters know, dairy farms are vital to both the state’s economy and character. In a recent letter, Senator Bernie Sanders wrote, “The dairy industry has been, and remains, a vital part of Vermont’s economic engine and a central part of the fabric of our communities.”

However, the Ethan Allen Institute, an independent Vermont think tank, points out that since 1975, the number of Vermont farms has decreased from 3688 to 1050. In addition, large business-intensive farms have replaced many small dairy farms throughout the state.

As posted on the Institute’s website, “Like it or not, small dairy farms are becoming less and less viable…The dynamics of the national dairy market are shouting ‘get big or get out’ more loudly than ever.”

Sen. Sanders wrote, “All Vermonters understand that if family-based dairy farming is to continue in any significant way in our state and throughout the country, America’s dairy farmers must receive fair prices for the products they produce.”

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the All Milk Price paid to dairy farmers dropped nearly 70 percent over the last year. Despite the drop, consumers have not seen a corresponding fall in the price of milk.

Vermont’s congressional delegation and dairy farm proponents believe that along the farm-to-store supply chain, everyone but the farmer is making surplus profits.

This is not a recent phenomenon. In the past, Sen. Patrick Leahy raised many of the same concerns Sanders currently voices. “Vermont farmers are not getting a fair share of the retail price of milk, while giant corporate processors are raking in windfall profits as they raise prices…,” Leahy said in 2000.

Sanders asked the Department of Justice to begin an antitrust investigation into the dairy industry, especially targeting Dean Foods. He wrote that Dean Foods nationally controls 40 percent of the fluid milk market and 70 percent in New England.

The Obama administration intends to step up enforcement of antitrust laws. Per Scott Kilman of the Wall Street Journal, a Justice Department official said earlier this month that the administration will take an extensive look at concentration in U.S. agriculture as part of its increased emphasis on antitrust enforcement.

According to Michelle Monroe of the St. Albans Messenger, Sanders said antitrust investigations, a growth management plan, and a revision of the milk pricing system are part of the solution to the problems facing Vermont’s dairy farms.

In order to ensure they receive a fair price for their milk, dairy organizations have spent a great amount of time and money lobbying the federal government to fix milk prices. According to the Ethan Allen Institute, in 1935 the federal government created a complicated dairy program to set minimum prices that handlers must pay farmers for milk.

Since then, the government has employed many different strategies in an effort to boost the amount of money farmers get for their milk. This included the creation of the Northeast Interstate Dairy Compact in the mid-90s, which taxed consumers and passed the proceeds to dairy farmers.

Championed by Sen. Leahy, Sen. James Jeffords, and then-Rep. Sanders, the Compact artificially raised the price of milk in New England. At the same time, it prevented cheaper milk from entering from outside the region.

The Ethan Allen Institute notes that government-forced subsidies in effect prop up inefficient farmers at the consumer’s expense — especially the poor and young families who consume more milk. While subsidies help keep small farms alive, government support results in lower overall dairy industry efficiency.

Recent state efforts include the passage of S.89, “An Act Relating to Stabilization of Prices Paid to Vermont Dairy Farmers.” Sponsored by Peter Shumlin and Robert Starr, Gov. Douglas signed the bill into law in late May. The act directs the Vermont Milk Commission to deliberate imposing an “assessment” on processors who buy milk from Vermont farms.

What is unspoken is that milk producers will most likely not absorb the tax, but will pass it on to consumers.

Dan McLean of the Burlington Free Press writes that the proceeds could go to create an emergency fund to help local dairy farmers during price downturns.

Nevertheless, the Ethan Allen Institutes sees a more sinister plan unfolding: An unaccountable commission levying a hidden milk tax on consumers with proceeds distributed to members of Bobby Starr’s special interest group.

Instead of more taxes, the Institute advocates dropping government support for dairy farms over time. After doing so, Vermont’s farmers will prosper from innovation, efficiency, and hard work — rather than relying on undependable government subsidies.

Michael Benevento is a former Air Force fighter jet weapon systems officer. He has a bachelor’s degree in Military History and a master’s in International Relations. Mike resides in Williston with his wife Kristine and their two sons, Matthew and Calvin.

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Milking the market

By Steve Mount

Aug. 20, 2009

Anyone who has ever prepared a family budget knows that there is one basic, overriding principle: don’t spend more than you take in. If you earn $100, don’t spend $110. If you do, you’ll either dip into savings or start to accumulate debt. Vermont dairy farmers are keenly aware of this simple formula. They have one problem, though: It costs more to produce a gallon of milk than anyone is willing to pay for it.

The individual farmer can do nothing to change milk prices. The price is set in an international marketplace, and that price has been going down. The farmer could try to get into a niche market, like organic products, and some supplement their income by selling small amounts of raw milk to neighbors, but the real money is (or should be) in the general bulk market.

If a farmer cannot make money on his farm, there are only a few options. One is to change what he produces. This is a viable option for a grower, but not so much for a dairy farmer, who has a herd to take care of. Another is to get out of the business completely. The loss of a farm or two might not be any more than a local tragedy, but according to the Rutland Times-Argus, since January 1, Vermont has lost over thirty farms.

The federal government has resurrected the Milk Income Loss Compact (MILC) program through which farmers can receive payments from the government when milk prices fall below a certain level. The formula is a bit complicated because it is adjusted monthly for feed costs, but it is roughly $17.50 per hundred pounds of milk.

The government is also helping by increasing the floor that it pays for milk for its own needs. Vermont’s congressional delegation pushed hard for this increase, and spoke favorably of Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack’s announcement.

Senator Bernie Sanders is attacking the problem from another angle, directing his office to investigate the pricing policies of monopolistic dairy companies, companies large enough to be able to influence prices in ways that individual producers can only dream of.

If this all sounds familiar, it’s because dairy prices rise and fall in cycles. The problem is the low end of the cycle is often far too low. The last big dip was in 2006. Back then, Vermont Public Radio commentator John McClaughry touted programs that were trying to make dairy farmers more productive in their business. Watching the nightly news on WCAX, it seems that there are unending reports of dairy farmers who are making milking or feeding more efficient.

Our ultimate goal should be the elimination of all subsidies. Government subsidies and tariffs are generally not a good thing, and can have far-reaching economic implications.

The imposition of tariffs on imports can hurt domestic producers, to the point where the exporting country retaliates with tariffs of its own. This sort of tit-for-tat economics has the real possibility of cutting goods off from a nation in the best case, and becoming a diplomatic crisis even leading to war in the worst case.

Looking to avoid such games, the United States has sought and supported free trade agreements across the world, from our own continental neighborhood to the tiny nation of Singapore. Even so, most free trade agreements have exceptions, as with the prohibition of Mexican trucks on most U.S. roads and U.S. tariffs on Canadian softwoods.

The increase in the number of free trade agreements the U.S. has with other nations is recognition of the general proposition that tariffs and subsidies are not of long-term benefit. Though dairy may be a special case, given the perishable nature of liquid milk, we should still try to avoid subsidies when we can.

Because dairy is in a precarious position right now, we should continue to pay out subsidies. At the same time, we should be increasing our technological aid to dairy farmers, to ensure that those who are capable can get their product out for the least cost possible. We should take a close look at each dairy operation and make hard but necessary choices about farms that are beyond saving. And we should ensure that no one company has too great an effect on pricing.

Taking coordinated steps such as these can provide us with an industry that is both local and sustainable, and which protects vital national interests.

Steve Mount has been a Williston resident since 1996. He is a software engineer at GE Healthcare and is devoted to his family, his country and his Constitution. You can reach Steve at [email protected] or read his blog at http://saltyrain.com/ls.

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