Such was the case for Oktibbeha County native Warren Oakley and his son, William. Time had come to invest in improvements or sell out. In August, the Oakleys auctioned 324 head and most of their equipment. The elder Oakley inherited the farm from his parents. His grandparents began milking cows on the farm in 1913.
Dairy farming is such a way of life that it'll take time to adjust.
Moore said as families choose to leave the business, dairy farms are getting larger, with more specialists helping to run the operations as a true business. They are increasing production and producing milk cheaper. As farms get larger, they will have the opportunity to control more of the market. The increase in production and demand will protect consumers from significant price changes at the grocery. Dr. Bill Herndon, agricultural economist at MSU, said dairy farmers are experiencing some of their best profitability in years with record high milk prices and low feed costs.