Milk: family farm, market and public health

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to verify the compatibility between dairy production in Santa Catarina and the policies that try to improve the specialisation of small producers. During field research, we realized that although the companies that buy milk in natura insist that in the near future only specialised producers will find a market, a tendency that according to them is already visible, this is not what we observed. In reality, it appears that there is a “friendly relationship” between traditional producers and the milk purchasers. We found that: a) although the producer has a quota of milk that must be delivered in winter and summer, “excess” milk is bought at a lower price so it is not rejected by the purchasing company; b) small producers ( with production of less than 300 liters per month) are responsible for a small part of the amount received by the companies, although it must be considered that dairy industry is facing an increasing demand and disputing new markets; c) producers are afraid of investing in this activity due to uncertainty about agricultural policy and low milk prices; d) because of new technologies and the confined sistem, in developed countries the herds are from suffering serious and hazardous diseases; e) the population is increasingly concerned with loading a healthy life style and respecting nature; and f) successfull experiencies combining family farm and organic production are possible today. There are, therefore, indications that the small producers will remain present.