For NJ dairy farmers, glass is half empty regarding profits

Milk does a body good. But when it comes to dairy farmers' bottom line, it could be doing better.

New Jersey's dairy farmers add more than $22 million to the state's economy. According to state Agriculture Secretary Doug Fisher, federally controlled milk prices are making it tough for dairy farmers to make a profit.

"Dairy farmers are some of the hardest working people you'll ever meet or encounter in your life. And we obviously want milk prices to more reflect that work," he said.

The Jersey dairy industry is not just about milk. There is also a wide variety of cheeses, yogurts and other products.

New Jersey's dairy farmers produced more than 120 million pounds of milk, according to figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The milk is processed by several co-ops in the state before it is packaged and sold.

Dairy products like milk contain nine essential nutrients such as protein, which builds and repairs muscle tissue, and vitamin A, which maintains healthy skin.

Fisher says prices are not what they should be in terms of the investment in time and effort.

Last year, New Jersey 101.5 pointed out that New Jersey once had 200 commercial dairy farms, which plunged to just 50, following a national trend.

Joe Cutter is the afternoon news anchor on New Jersey 101.5