Dairy-Backed Sales Limits OK'd in House
Washington, D.C., March 29, 2006

Legislation Aims to End Exemption for Large Milk `Producer-Handler'
Washington, D.C., March 28, 2006

Producer-Handler Dairymen Featured on Fox News - The Fox Report
March 22, 2006

Got Competition?
Yuma, AZ, February 25, 2006

He Sells Milk for Half the Price You pay. The Feds Want to Stop Him. Why?
Yuma, AZ, February 19, 2006

System Controlled by Industry Giants
Chicago, IL, February 19, 2006

Dairyman Biding Time with USDA Decision
Yuma, AZ, February 11, 2006

Small Dairyman Shakes Up Milk Industry
Yuma, AZ, February 2, 2006

New Federal Rule to Hit Edaleen Dairy: Farm Too Large for Revised Exemption
Bellingham, WA, January, 14, 2006

Moo-To-You May Become Moot-To-You
Seattle, WA, January, 4, 2006

USDA Announces Final Decision to Amend pacific Nothwest and Arizona-Las Vegas Milk Orders
Washington D.C., December 9, 2005

Do-it-yourself dairies may lose exemption
Silverton,OR, August 13, 2005

Running family farm not about corporate profit: it's about pride
Silverton, OR, August 10, 2005

New rules may milk farm dry
Kent, WA, July 11, 2005

Local dairy on Federal Government hit list
Silverton, OR, July 10, 2005

U.S. sour on tactics of milk's top co-op
Washington D.C., June 20, 2005

Public rallies behind local dairyman
Yuma, AZ, June 19, 2005

Monday deadline looms for Smith Brothers
Kent, WA, June 12, 2005

See more Dairy News!

Save the milkman

BY Brain Calvert
KOMO TV 4
June 9, 2005

KING COUNTY - A practice that dates back over a hundred years is still going strong in the Seattle area. But most of us don't know about it, and if the government gets its way, we never will.

He gets up pretty early in the morning, gets in the truck, and begins his deliveries.

Meet Dan the Milkman.

"We've known Dan for close to 10 years," says customer Debbie at Nana's Home Daycare. Dan Arnold and several other milkmen make home deliveries of milk and eggs from Smith Brothers Farms in Kent .

It's a job he loves.

"I've done it for 20 years and have had had two or three vacations," Arnold tells KOMO News.

His trade -- something most people don't know still exists -- is something he hopes to pass down to the next generation of Arnolds .

"The fellow who I took it from had it for 30 years," Arnold says. "I've been doing it for 20, and hopefully my son can take it over for another 20 (years)."

Meet 20-year-old Zach the Milkman.

"It's fun," the younger Arnold says. "You meet a lot of neat people, and see a lot of different areas."

Yeah, the milkman still exists. But he may not be around much longer. In an effort to even out milk prices, the USDA may impose rules that would make home deliveries unprofitable.

Those behind the proposed changes include the Dairy Farmers of America, and Dean Foods, a giant wholesaler of milk products. Together, they produce over 60 percent of the country's milk. According to family-owned Smith Brothers, the changes would edge out the "little guy."

Customer Mark Nordtveldt can't believe it.

"This is the most incredible service that we have," he tells KOMO News. "I hope the government regulators stay totally out of this."

Arnold says his milk is more expensive than Costco, but less than the grocery store, and he delivers for free. But costs aside, "We can taste the difference," Nordtveldt says. "Our kids don't want to drink anything else."

As Dan continues to teach his son Zach the ropes, his boss is in Washington , D.C. hoping to keep her family farm in business. She, and the rest of the public, have until June 13 to comment on the issue.

For more information:

www.smithbrothersfarms.com