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Minnesota Senator troubled by dairy trend

A Minnesota legislator is concerned about the decreasing number of dairy farms in his state.

Democrat Aric Putnam, who chairs the Senate Agriculture, Broadband, and Rural Development Committee, says this is the first year on record the state has fewer than 2,000 dairies.

“And that’s not by accident. That’s a deliberate consequence of consolidation.”

He tells Brownfield the legislature has to find ways to preserve small farms in general.

“But especially dairy farms. It’s not just an economic thing, it’s a cultural thing.”

Putnam says his approach is to help small farmers rather than punish other types of farmers as he explores legislative fixes.