Robert P. Casey Jr.
Pennsylvania Farmers Union Commends Senators
August 2, 2007
Source: PA Farm News
MILLVILLE – Pennsylvania Farmers Union commends Pennsylvania Senators Arlen Specter and Robert Casey for introducing and sponsoring Senate Bill S. 1722, The Federal Milk Marketing Improvement Act of 2007.
“This legislation represents a long awaited breakthrough in dairy pricing for our family farmers,” said Larry Breech, president of Pennsylvania Farmers Union. “For far too long our farmers were forced to sell their milk priced by a complicated, unfair and outdated pricing mechanism that just was not working.”
S. 1722 represents a new level in fairness and openness in the milk marketing process, structured to provide for improved food safety and a secure supply of American dairy products. It is designed to account for risky foreign imports and altered, unproven products and their impact on our domestic dairy supply. In addition, this innovative approach allows for greatly improved market transparency and will prevent “producing for the program.” Primarily funded by producers, it minimizes budget exposure and allows for market-based pricing and accounts for the ever changing costs of production. It helps deal with the flood of cheap imported dairy products that have turned the United States into a net dairy importer since 1996.
Breech said dairy farmers will benefit from a modern pricing system and this is a good step to create a more positive opportunity for family owned and operated dairies to receive their income from the marketplace and not a government check.
Pennsylvania Farmers Union looks forward to working with the Senators to build nationwide support for their legislation and have it included in the next farm bill.
