The U.S. Department of Agriculture received on June 17 a proposal to amend the pooling standards of a distributing plant as part of the definition of a pool plant in the Mideast Milk Marketing Order. The proposal was submitted on behalf of Foremost Farms USA Cooperative, Inc., National Farmers Organization, Inc., and Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. They believe the current pooling standards enable distributing plants to change their regulatory status, which they say has led to a disruption of orderly marketing conditions, and would like USDA to hold a hearing to consider the changes.

USDA is considering the request and may initiate a rulemaking process that would include a public hearing to collect evidence regarding changes to the pooling standards of the order. Before deciding whether a hearing will be held, USDA invites others to submit proposals on the topic by August 12.

More details are available here:

Members with questions may contact Bob Yonkers, IDFA vice president and chief economist, at byonkers@idfa.org or (202) 220-3511.