Source:  House Agriculture Committee, 7/21/09

Today, the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry held the second of three scheduled hearings this month to review the economic conditions facing the dairy industry. Subcommittee Chairman David Scott of Georgia called today's hearing to hear additional perspectives from dairy farmers across the country regarding the steady decline in milk prices over the last two years.
 
"As was evidenced by last week's hearing, there is no shortage of opinions regarding the causes of this current crisis, and as such, naturally there is a wide range of views on what we need to do to remedy the state of affairs," Chairman Scott said. "We must move beyond the old traditional divisions between regions and herd sizes in order to develop new and innovative policies that benefit the whole of the dairy industry. Therefore, it is imperative that we use these hearings to develop some consensus on a way forward, both in the short term and the long term, that can be supported by the entire industry."
 
"Dairy farmers are important contributors to the local economy in the 19th Congressional District, which is why I appreciate the opportunity to hear first hand the challenges and opportunities currently affecting the dairy industry," said Subcommittee Ranking Member Randy Neugebauer of Texas. "In these tough economic times, it is important for Congress to hear from our local dairy farmers and learn how we can work together to find long-term solutions for the dairy industry."
 
Farm milk prices have been declining sharply in 2009 while feed costs for dairy producers remain high. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) projects the price will decline later this year to its lowest annual average since 1979.
 
Last week, the Subcommittee heard from U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Under Secretary James Miller about policies in place to assist dairy producers, including the purchase of about 200 million pounds of nonfat dry milk for domestic feeding programs as well as use of the Dairy Export Incentive Program (DEIP) to assist U.S. dairy farmers who are up against heavily subsidized foreign producers.
 
The Subcommittee will continue its review of the economic conditions of the dairy industry on Tuesday, July 28, at 10 a.m.
 
Written testimony provided by the witnesses is available on the Committee website: agriculture.house.gov/hearings/index.html.
A full transcript of the hearing will be posted on the Committee website at a later date.
 
 
 
Witness List:
 
Panel I
 
Mr. Ed Welch, President and CEO, Associated Milk Producers, Inc., on behalf of the Midwest Dairy Coalition, New Ulm, Minnesota
Mr. Phil Plourd, President, Blimling and Associates, Inc./Roger W. Blimling, Inc.
Mr. Everett Williams, dairy farmer, and President, Georgia Milk Producers, Inc., Madison, Georgia
Mr. Paul Rozwadowski, dairy farmer, and Dairy Subcommittee Chair, National Family Farm Coalition, Stanley, Wisconsin
Mr. Scott Hoese, President, Carver County Farmers Union, on behalf of National Farmers Union, Mayer, Minnesota
Mr. Donald DeJong, dairy farmer, Hartley, Texas