Feingold Continues Fight Against Regional Dairy Compacts Senator Works to End Northeast Dairy Compact, Stop Creation of Compacts in Other Regions August 28, 2001 West Salem, WI -- U.S. Senator Russ Feingold today highlighted the need for a new national dairy policy. Feingold criticized the current milk market order system for an outdated structure that favors some regions of the country at Wisconsin’s expense. He called for an end to dairy compacts, which wall off the dairy market in a specific region and put dairy producers outside that region at an unfair disadvantage. "Today, instead of a dairy policy that puts all farmers on equal footing, we have a system that favors some regions over others, and allows the creation of compacts," Feingold said. "I remain committed to reforming our dairy policies, getting rid of compacts, and working to enacting a real dairy safety net to protect dairy farmers from price swings in the marketplace." In July, supporters of the Northeast Dairy Compact, which is scheduled to expire at the end of September, attempted to attach an extension of the compact on to another bill. While this attempt was defeated, Senator Feingold is determined to work with Senator Kohl and others to continue to block any attempt to extend the Northeast Compact, or to allow the creation of new compacts in other areas of the country. Economists estimate that an expanded Dairy Compact would cost Wisconsin dairy farms between $64 million and $326 million per year. "Instead of focusing on regional dairy policies I think Congress must turn its attention to enacting a national dairy policy that helps all farmers get a fair price for their milk," Feingold said. "Dairy farmers deserve a fair and truly national dairy policy -- one that puts them all on a level playing field, from coast to coast." Feingold held his 48th Listening Session of the year, and the 624th Listening Sessions since he was first elected, at the Hazel Brown Leicht Memorial Library beginning at 7:30 a.m. His 49th session of the year, and 625th since he was first elected, began at the Viroqua High School Gym starting at 10:15 a.m.

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