House of Representatives Subcommittee Opens Field Hearings to Processors

The first dairy-specific field hearing for the 2007 Farm Bill will take place May 31 at Winona State University in Winona, Minn. Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-MN), the chairman of the subcommittee that includes oversight for dairy, called the hearing to review the state of the upper Midwest dairy industry. In an effort to make the review more inclusive, Rep. Gutknecht will open the Winona hearing to both producers and processors.

Earlier this year the agriculture committee launched field hearings as a part of its review of the 2002 Farm Bill, which will expire in 2007. The committee has heard from producers across the country on issues that impact the dairy industry.

"IDFA applauds Rep. Gutknecht for holding this hearing and for taking the initiative to listen to both producers and processors," said Chip Kunde, IDFA senior vice president. "As we approach the next Farm Bill, it is critical for Congress to take a good, long look at our current dairy programs and how they operate, and then compare them to today's market realities to determine what needs to be fixed for the future."

IDFA will continue to press for reform of U.S. dairy programs, such as addressing the dueling dairy subsidy programs - the Milk Income Loss Contract Program (MILC) and the Dairy Price Support Program - and the elimination of trade-distorting elements.

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Posted May 8, 2006