Leahy, Sanders, Welch Welcome Price
Breakthrough For Dairy Farmers
. . . Senators Net Quick Results In
All-Out Push For Boost In Dairy Price Supports
WASHINGTON (FRIDAY, July 31)
– U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and
Congressman Peter Welch (D-Vt.) Friday welcomed a U.S. Department of
Agriculture decision to lift the floor price for dairy products.
The decision was announced
two days after the Vermont senators and a coalition of more than two
dozen senators from other dairy states met with Agriculture Secretary
Tom Vilsack. The meeting and the multi-region coalition of senators were
organized by Leahy, the senior-most member of the Agriculture Committee,
to seek a short-term hike in the price the federal government pays for
milk and dairy products in the marketplace. Leahy and the
coalition also followed through with an appeal to White House Budget
Director Peter Orszag.
Leahy said, “Secretary
Vilsack became our partner in getting this done, and we are grateful
that dairy farmers have a true ally at USDA. Government dairy
purchases are part of the overall safety net, but in this case we also
want these purchases to be a catalyst to help stabilize the downward
spiral in milk prices. Dairy farms in Vermont and across the
nation are hurting, and this is the fastest and most direct short-term
step that’s available to stop the bleeding. We will continue to
push for other relief but those steps will take longer.”
Sanders said, “I appreciate
the secretary's
quick response to our request. This is a good start but much more needs
to be done if Vermont dairy farmers are going to receive a fair price
for their product. My office continues to look at all available options
to raise milk prices for family-based dairy farms, including
expanding the MILC program and investigating monopolistic practices in
the dairy industry.”
Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), who also had urged the Administration to
raise the dairy price floor, said, “Secretary Vilsack’s decision is good
news for dairy farmers and good news for Vermont. While it’s clear that
this is a short-term remedy and not a long-term solution to the crisis
facing the dairy industry, this much-needed support for family farmers
will help them weather the storm. I applaud Secretary Vilsack’s action
and I look forward to continuing the fight for Vermont’s dairy farmers.”
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