Dairy Group Says Farm Bill Would Hurt Milk Exports
A portion of the farm bill limiting milk production by farmers who enroll in a market-stabilization program “will hurt our ability to export across the world,” said Jon Davis, CEO of Davisco Foods International Inc. of Eden Prairie, Minn., speaking at an April 24 news conference organized by the International Dairy Foods Association. The Senate Agriculture Committee delayed a markup of the farm bill, which had been scheduled for April 25. A new markup date will be announced soon, the committee said.
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Dairy industry officials said the committee should remove measures designed to control milk prices, and instead focus on providing safety-net programs, such as revenue insurance. They said such provisions would raise consumer prices, hurt exports and cost thousands of jobs.
Dairy exports account for nearly two-thirds of recent dairy industry growth --- up nearly $3 billion since 2000, the dairy group said. In 2011, U.S. dairy exports set records, jumping 13 percent in volume and more than 20 percent in value, it said. It said the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2011 estimated that 8,400 jobs are created for every $1 billion increase in agriculture exports.