Dairy Compact Issue Beaten Back in Senate

August 5, 1999

The Senate defeated an effort to extend the life of the controversial Northeast Dairy Compact. The law says that the compact exists until such time as USDA implements the final rule on milk marketing order reform. So compact proponents, as part of the agriculture appropriations bill debate, sought to eliminate funding for a reformed order system, thereby continuing the Northeast Compact since a reformed order would not be possible without money.

Opponents, led by Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI), had vowed to filibuster any dairy amendment to the appropriations bill. A vote on cloture, which would have allowed debate on the compact issue to continue had it succeeded, failed to muster the 60 votes needed. With a filibuster looming on any dairy amendment, compact proponents backed off any further consideration.

There are indications that the issue could come up again when the agricultural appropriations bill is considered by a Senate-House conference committee. One dairy industry official said his organization was expecting that to occur. However, compact opponents could also threaten a filibuster of the conference report. Also, legislation is pending in the House that would extend the life of the Northeast Compact.