State park system earned more this summer than last

The Union Leader's Paula Tracy takes a look at revenues for the state park system.

Sunny weather from July 1 through Labor Day helped the state park system make more money this summer than last.

The division took in almost 5 percent more in operations income and almost 12 percent in retail sales, while its campgrounds saw an income hike of almost 3 percent, said Ted Austin, director of parks and recreation.

While occupancy at the state parks was down 1 percent from last summer's number, the income generated was slightly higher, about $60,000 more than the past summer's $2,078,048.

"Tent Tax" a tough sell, collectors complain

The Union Leader's Paula Tracy reports on opposition to the state's new tax on camping from the folks from have to collect the tax from their customers.

Campground owners gathered yesterday at Patrick's Pub to pepper a state official about a new tax they said they have yet to figure out.

"Everyone here could be doing a hundred other things at their campgrounds right now," said John Osuchowski, who operates Twin Tamarak Family Camping and Resort on Route 104 in New Hampton. "This is the busiest time of their year. Why couldn't they do this in January?"

He said that would allow time to change accounting structures to accommodate the newly enacted law. (more)

Coverage of JUA Hearing

Paula Tracy reports on yesterday's hearing in the JUA case in the Union Leader.

Dan Gorenstein files this report for New Hampshire Public Radio.

And Micheal Kitch pens a lengthy report in the pages of the Laconia Daily Sun. His story starts on page 6 of today's edition.

Agriculture chief lends ear to struggles of NH dairy farmers

Paula Tracy covers Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack's visit to New Hampshire in the Union Leader. The former Iowa Governor said he is planning to form a commission to examine the current milk pricing system:

The price per hundred weight of milk in New England dropped from a high of about $20 in December, to about $12 now in New Hampshire. The price to produce it is about $18 per hundred weight.

"It's not sustainable," Gov. John Lynch told the audience.

The federal milk pricing system is one of the most bysantine and inefficient structures in the U.S. It seems designed to not only make milk more expensive, but to keep as many dairy farmers making as little profit as possible. Market forces have been pushing towards fewer, larger dairy farms producing large amounts of milk at lower prices. Smaller dairy farmers have exerted political pressure to have government design a system to guarantee them above-market prices to stay in business.

Family farmers are a very sympathetic group. Milk is the most wholesome of foods, and the image of the New England dairy farmer waking before dawn to milk the cows is both romantic and nostaglic. These leads to tremendous pressure for politicians to intercede on their behalf, at the expense of consumers. We all pay a little more for every gallon of milk.

The milk pricing system has not prevented consolidation of the industry. Price supports along can't overcome the economies of scale that larger farms provide, and the government hasn't been willing to articificially raise milk prices high enough for smaller farms to turn a profit. In the end, we end up with a system that lets small dairy farms hang on to the edge of solvency with the promise of government assistance, but little hope to compete.