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Dairy farming in Hongya County

How farmers in Hongya County have turned to dairy farming following a government directive.

In 1998 the Yangtze River burst its banks, destroying the livelihood of millions in the river valley. Logging and intensive farming in the upper course of the river had bought mud and silt downstream, raising the water level like never before. The Chinese government immediately issued a directive to halt further tree-felling on the mountain slopes, forcing villagers to seek a new solution - dairy farming.

Although the Chinese traditionally do not drink milk, local tastes have adapted, and farmers have discovered that dairy farming can bring in more income than crop cultivation.

Farmer Liu, from Hongya County, is very happy with his two cows - his biggest assets. Each day his family keep a strict schedule of gathering grass, feeding the cows, milking them and cleaning up. In the early morning, the dairy farmers in the village make their delivery to the local dairy station, where the milk is weighed and tested. There's a long queue each day, but it's worth the wait. Where there's milk, there's money.

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Duration:

5 minutes