Milk Producers Have Kind Words for Farm Bill

October 8, 2001

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) applauded the approval Friday by the House of Representatives of the 2002 farm bill which contains several dairy policy items supported by the NMPF. The measure was "a great tribute to the hard work and bipartisan cooperation demonstrated all throughout the year by the leaders of the House Agriculture Committee," said Jerry Kozak, president and CEO of NMPF.

"The process ... was inclusive, balanced and thorough. In the end, I think most farm organizations like ours were well pleased with the outcome of the process," Kozak added.

Among the provisions that pleased NMPF were reauthorization of the dairy price support program at $9.90/cwt; extension of dairy promotion assessments to imported dairy products, and elimination of the sunset date of the processor promotion program; the 80% increase in conservation funding over current programs and elimination of size restrictions on Environmental Quality Incentive Program participation; dairy Export Incentive Program funding and a dramatic increase in Market Access Program funding, both export programs used by the dairy industry; authorization for a Johne's Disease program for research, testing, and education, and stronger language to improve the mandatory dairy price and inventory reporting system.

The House also approved an amendment offered by Rep. James Walsh (R-NY) directing the USDA to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the various elements of national dairy policy.