I'm Connie Tipton with the International Dairy Foods
Association. Our 500 members, including the companies that
manufacture this nation's milk, ice cream and cheese products, are
appalled by what has been taking place in the U.S. Senate on dairy
policy. And we applaud the efforts of the Senators here today to
bring to light some of the very troubling issues about proposed
dairy legislation.
Out in America, the headlines are about an job lay-offs,
bankrupt corporations, and empty shelves at food banks. But here
in Congress, a few politicians in the Northeast are pushing a
complicated new law that a government study says will raise the
price of milk by 26 cents a gallon.
Why? Did dairy farmers ask for this provision? No. Did dairy
processors, or consumers? Certainly not.
In fact, earlier this year, the major dairy producer and
processor groups agreed upon one set of provisions that we could
support in the new Farm Bill. These ideas are incorporated into
the House version of the Farm Bill and are in the Cochran-Roberts
bill that has been introduced in the Senate. The dairy provisions
now being discussed would be added to these other dairy
safety net programs already in place.
Let's be clear. This is pork barrel politics at its very worst.
It's legislation that is un-needed and unwanted, and it's a
lose-lose-lose proposition. It will hurt farmers and the industry,
it will hurt taxpayers, and it will hurt consumers all across
America. All this, mind you, during an uncertain economy.
In the real world, dairy farmers and milk companies are working
hard together to build demand for milk. But here on Capitol Hill,
a few a pushing legislation that could quickly unravel all of that
by making milk less affordable.
Adding new, costly dairy provisions to the farm bill is a huge
step in the wrong direction. It won't help us, and it won't help
consumers.
We support the Crapo-Bingaman amendment to strike the Leahy
dairy provisions.
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