>>Actually it always sounds to me like an unsavory practice involving sheep ...
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>Exactly. Or maybe cows.
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>These days with two daughters in college in Wisconsin I get to do a fair amount of driving there. It really is a beautiful state. Lots of rolling hills and herds of cows. There is one particular place I pass by all the time on the way to Madison with probably a couple hundred cows and one goat. The goat always stands on a little edifice, master of all he sees. It makes me smile every time.
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>You probably already know this but Wisconsin is no longer the dairy state in terms of milk production. Do you know what state it is? Take your time.
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>California. There is a weird milk subsidy in the books based on distance from Wisconsin. I think it was originally instituted for Florida's benefit. On this point I fully agree with anyone that the federal government is nuts.

California has been number 1 in cows milk production since 1993.

http://www.californiadairypressroom.com/Press_Kit/Dairy_Industry_Facts

The Irish side of my family since 1849 has been involved with dairy ranching in California. My grandfather grew up on his grandfather's dairy ranch in San Francisco.