Congress Passes Iraq Spending Bill with MILC Money

Congress last week passed an emergency supplemental spending bill for Iraq war costs that included a provision to add $1.2 billion for the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program to the Farm Bill baseline. MILC currently is set to expire at the end of August, one month before the current Farm Bill. As a result, there is very little money available to the agriculture committees to spend on dairy programs in the next Farm Bill. IDFA has expressed concern about the conflicting nature of MILC and the Dairy Price Support Program, but believes Congress should have adequate resources to give dairy farmers a sustainable safety net that provides support regardless of market conditions or milk prices.

Although President Bush is expected to veto the bill due to troop pull-out deadlines, a more streamlined version of the spending bill is expected to be enacted.

Posted April 30, 2007