IDFA, IICA and MIF Chairmen Carry Farm Bill Message to Hill, Administration

The chairmen of IDFA and two of its constituent organizations delivered IDFA's 2007 Farm Bill priorities to the White House, Capitol Hill and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on March 15 during a series of meetings with key legislators and government officials.

Mike Reidy, IDFA chairman; Brian Haugh, chairman of the Milk Industry Foundation (MIF); and Jim Green, chairman of the International Ice Cream Association (IICA), met first with administration leaders in the White House and later with Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns. They discussed IDFA's concerns with the administration's operation of the Federal Milk Marketing Orders and voiced disappointment with the administration's proposal for the 2007 Farm Bill, which includes the extension of the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program and Dairy Price Support Program and the endorsement of dairy import assessments.

Following these meetings, the chairmen hit Capitol Hill to visit congressional leaders from their states.

"Our chairmen are busy running their milk, cheese and ice cream businesses, and it's not easy for them to drop everything and come to Washington," said Connie Tipton, IDFA president and CEO. "This visit by three industry leaders demonstrates just how critically important this Farm Bill is for our industry."

Reidy is senior vice president, procurement, logistics and business development, for Leprino Foods Company in Denver, Colo. Haugh is president of National Dairy Holdings, LP, in Dallas, Texas, and Green is president and CEO of Kemps, LLC and HP Hood LLC, in St. Paul, Minn.

For more information on IDFA's Farm Bill priorities click here.

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Posted March 26, 2007