Farmers threaten to stop supplying milk in protest at dairy reform

Dairy farmers in Israel have threatened to halt milk supplies later this week in protest against a government dairy reform plan proposed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The reform aims to dismantle the centralized dairy coordination mechanism, slash domestic milk production by one-third, cut prices by 15%, and abolish import tariffs of up to 40% to introduce more competition and lower the cost of living. Smotrich has criticized the farmers' actions, labeling the current system as "communist." Meanwhile, the Israel Farmers’ Association and the Moshav Movement argue that the rapid implementation of this reform will destroy the livelihoods of approximately 400 dairy farms, many of which are located in border communities. The Knesset’s legal adviser has recommended removing the reform from the Economic Arrangements Bill, providing a temporary victory for the farmers as the conflict escalates.