IDFA Joins Senators, Consumer Groups in Fight Against Milk Tax Legislation

Representatives from IDFA and leading consumer groups joined two senators in holding a December 4 press conference on Capitol Hill to address growing concerns over the costly dairy provisions in the Senate farm bill legislation. Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), who hosted the news conference, are introducing an amendment to strike the controversial national dairy plan from the farm bill. IDFA Senior Group Vice President Connie Tipton was among the speakers at the forum that rallied against the dairy provisions, which are championed by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT).

"Out in America, the headlines are about job layoffs, 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," said Tipton. "In the real world, dairy farmers and milk companies are working hard together to build demand for milk. But on Capitol Hill, a few are pushing legislation that could quickly unravel all of that by making milk less affordable."

Arthur Jaeger, Consumer Federation of America, the nation's largest consumer organization, also criticized the Leahy dairy provisions during the news conference. The Consumer Federation of America is opposed to the national dairy plan since the provisions would add an estimated $1.8 billion a year to milk prices for consumers. Other speakers included Thomas Schatz, Council for Citizens Against Consumer Waste; Tim Hammonds, Food Marketing Institute; and Grover Norquist, Americans for Tax Reform.

IDFA urges its members to contact the Senate now in support of the Crapo/Bingaman amendment, which would replace the Leahy plan with a study on the impacts of federal dairy policy on farmers and consumers. For a copy of Connie Tipton's remarks or for more information, click here. ###