In the News: China’s small dairy farmers caught in milk scandal
Consumer anxiety and stricter milk collection rules are threatening their livelihoods. Analysts say it’s unlikely small farmers were involved in the melamine scandal.
By John M. Glionna, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer, 6:40 PM PDT, October 8, 2008
PANZHUANGZI, CHINA — Before dawn each day, Gao Peng Hong and his wife join scores of other farmers in this dairy-rich village who must walk their cows to a local milk collection station because of new safety requirements.
A byproduct of China’s deadly tainted-milk scandal, the mile-long walks to the station come as officials push for more critical supervision of dairy farmers. Only weeks ago, farmers were free to milk their cows at home and deliver the product in heavy metal containers.
