Fracking would affect dairy farms

Fracking would affect dairy farms by Kathie Arnold, August 18, 2012, Times Union
Recent research out of Penn State showed areas of Pennsylvania with 150 or more Marcellus Shale gas wells have seen an average decrease in milk production of 18.5 percent from 2007 to 2010, whereas the areas without active gas drilling increased milk production about 1 percent. From this, it’s obvious hydrofracking would be detrimental to this opportunity to rev up and grow New York’s dairy industry to meet the growing demand for yogurt. Dairy production is a far more long term, sustainable, locally economically invigorating, and environmentally friendly business for this state than is shale gas extraction. I urge the governor to choose milk over shale gas to enable New York to fully realize its potential to become and maintain the status of the Yogurt Capital.