The Senate Agriculture Committee is expected to vote on a new Farm Bill later this month, and National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) is ramping up its efforts to ensure that the provisions of the Dairy Security Act are included in the Senate legislation under consideration.

NMPF has continued to highlight the importance of making dramatic changes in dairy policy, both on Capitol Hill and across the country.

NMPF member farmers have published a series of editorial columns this year in key states such as California, New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Minnesota, New Mexico and Texas, calling on Congress to enact the Dairy Security Act.

In addition, at its spring meeting last month, the NMPF Board of Directors passed a resolution urging Congress to create a new Farm Bill in 2012, one that contains an improved safety net in the form of the Dairy Security Act.

The resolution “made it clear that National Milk [NMPF] does not support any approach in Congress that would extend current farm programs by another year, and delay the creation of a better dairy program,” said Jerry Kozak, President and CEO.

Both the House and Senate Agriculture committees have held their own series of hearings on Farm Bill issues.

The House has one more field hearing to conduct April 20 in Dodge City, Kansas. However, the Senate agriculture panel is expected to move first to draft a farm bill, as early as the week of April 16.

Farmers can email their Senators to support the Dairy Security Act by using NMPF’s Dairy GREAT grassroots system. PD

—From NMPF's News for Dairy Co-ops