The U. S. Department of Agriculture opened a national public hearing today in Cincinnati, Ohio, to consider proposals seeking to amend or remove the producer-handler provisions in all Federal Milk Marketing Orders. After IDFA and the National Milk Producers Federation submitted initial proposals, USDA received new proposals from dairy farmers, producer-handlers, dairy farmer cooperatives and fluid milk processors. Bob Yonkers, IDFA vice president and chief economist, will represent IDFA at the hearing, which will likely last more than one week and perhaps into a third week. More details are available here.