Today, Congressman Leonard Boswell, Chairman of the House Agriculture CommitteeÆs Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry, held a hearing to review the Federal Milk Marketing Order rulemaking procedures.
The Federal Milk Marketing Orders were established in the 1930Æs to make sure that milk, which is a highly perishable product, reached consumers at a fair price and in a time sensitive fashion. Periodically, the Agriculture Committee reviews the order rulemaking procedures to make sure they are keeping up with technology, new product development and dairy production.
"After hearing much of the testimony, there is consensus throughout the dairy industry that the rulemaking procedures take too long. We must ensure that the process is quick and efficient, and represents what the dairy market in 2007 looks like. As we approach the 2007 Farm Bill, we will be looking at different proposals to change the Federal Milk Marketing Order system, perhaps creating a commission to look at ways to streamline the system," Subcommittee Chairman Boswell said.
"The industry faces some fairly cumbersome hurdles, both administrative and legislative, that only serve to hamper efforts to improve the orders for all participants. It is clear that the government needs to be a facilitator, and not an impediment, to our nationÆs dairy farmers and todayÆs hearing reemphasized that there is a consensus among the industry that more needs to be done. Since dairy is the only Farm Bill program that this subcommittee has jurisdiction over, I look forward to working with them as we move forward in this process," said Subcommittee Ranking Member Robin Hayes.
Witness testimony is available on the Committee website: http://democrats-agriculture.house.gov/hearings/index.html. A full transcript of the hearing will be posted on the Committee website in 4-6 weeks.
Witness List
Administrator Lloyd Day, Agricultural Marketing Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
Mr. Kelly Krug, Director of Marketing Services, California Department of Food and Agriculture, Sacramento, California
Mr. Chris Kraft, Member/Owner, Dairy Farmers of America, Inc., Fort Morgan, Colorado
Mr. Dennis Donohue, General Manager, Manitowoc Milk Producers, Alexandria, Virginia
Mr. Billy French, Dairy Farmer, on behalf of Virginia State DairymenÆs Association, Maurertown, Virginia
Mr. Eric Ooms, Diary Farmer, Old Chatham, New York
Mr. Ed Gallagher, Federal Order Analyst, Dairylea Cooperative Inc., Syracuse, New York
Mr. Mike Reidy, Senior Vice President, Procurement, Logistics & Business Development, Leprino Foods Company, Denver Colorado
Mr. Warren Erickson, Executive Vice President and COO, Anderson Erickson Dairy Company, Des Moines, Iowa
Mr. Douglas J. Wells, Co-President, WellÆs Dairy Inc., Le Mars, Iowa
Mr. William Ahlem, Co-Founder and Vice Chairman, Hilmar, California
Mr. John Hitchell, General Manager, Raw Milk Procurement & Regulations, The Kroger Co., Cincinnati, Ohio
http://democrats-agriculture.house.gov
Source: House Committee on Agriculture
