DPAC UPDATE

Producers meet with senators on milk law 

By Sherry Bunting, reprinted from Jan. 27, 2012 Farmshine

HARRISBURG, Pa.-In their continued pursuit of positive changes to the Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Law, the Dairy Policy Action Coalition (DPAC) met last Wednesday with President Pro Tempore of the Senate Joe Scarnati (R-25th) and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Elder Vogel, Jr. (R-47th) at the state Capitol.

Senator David Argall (R-29th) helped the dairy producers organize the meeting to discuss the shortcomings of the state’s decades-old milk marketing law and the legislative efforts thus far to make needed changes.

Modifying the state milk marketing law has been the subject of meetings with lawmakers, state officials, and multiple farm organizations over the past two years, and it has been the subject of two hearings held in in 2009 and 2010 by the Pennsylvania Senate Agriculture Committee.

In addition to DPAC, the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and other state organizations are already on record supporting changes contained in a bill introduced by Sen. Mike Brubaker (R-16th) last year (S.B. 993).

The changes include-among other things-establishing the farm (instead of the plant) as the place for determining application of the state mandated minimum producer pricing; change the definition of producer to specifically mean the dairy farmers; not the cooperatives; utilize a producer settlement fund to collect and remit the premiums that are intended by law for the dairy farmers; and require the licensing of “milk distributors” to  account for milk received and marketed in the state.

For the past three years, the Pennsylvania over-order premium-paid by consumers and intended by law for the dairy farmers-has been set by the Pa. Milk Marketing Board at around 25 cents per gallon, and it includes a fuel adjuster.

But a portion paid by consumers at retail is “stranded,” meaning not all the funds are making their way back to farm milk checks.

The four dairy producers who met with Senators Scarnati, Vogel and Argall last week shared their concerns and support for solutions to capture ‘stranded’ premiums and ensure equitable performance of the state’s milk marketing law.

“We appreciate you taking the time to meet with us. This is an important issue, and we need your help,” said Dale Hoffman of Potter County after a productive discussion at the state capitol.

“We got our message across,” said Nelson Troutman of Richland.

“It was definitely productive, and I felt we opened a door,” Hoffman observed.

Zach Meck, Womelsdorf, and Rob Barley, Conestoga, also shared their appreciation for the Senators taking time to discuss the solutions that DPAC, Farm Bureau, and others have been supporting.

“A lot of dairy farmers are counting on us,” Troutman said.

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