MEDINA, Ohio On May 14,
Ohio House Rep. Sean Logan
introduced die Ohio Fair Dairy
Priqng Bill to the Senate Ag
Committee.
Rep. Logan also provided spon
sor testimony by explaining how
the bill could help Ohio dairy far
mers and why the bill was needed.
Rep. Logan explained that local
dairy fanners in his district were
concerned that the federal program
was not working and last spring
experienced a drastic price cut. He
said he was urged by his consti
tuents to introduce some type of
state legislation similar to what
other states have adopted in order
to provide a survival price floor for
dairy farmers.
The bill allows Ohio dairy far
mers to petition the Director of
Agriculture and request a hearing.
At the hearing, information
would be received regarding the
cost of producing milk in Ohio,
cost of milk to dealers located in
adjoining states and the level of
milk prices paid to producers in
adjoining states.
Based on this and other testi
mony given at the hearing, a com
mittee representing dairy fanners,
dealers, retailers and consumers
can recommend to the Director of
Agriculture minimum milk prices.
Once the director, through the
panel, decides on minimum milk
prices, then Ohio dairy farmers
individually must vote approval by
a simple majority of those voting
in order for these minimum milk
prices to take effect. Rep. Logan
said.
According to Rep. Logan, one
Ohio Senate Reviews Fair Dairy Pricing
of the most important criteria for
establishing minimum prices was
the cost of milk to deafen located
in adjoining states. This was putin
the bill to keep the Ohio dairy
industry competitive and, at the
same time, to help dairy farmers
get fair prices.
Chuck Ellyson, independent
dairy farmer from Columbiana
County, said that the state of Min
nesota just recently passed a bill
which allows a minimum price to
be set in their state.
“All we are asking in Ohio is
that we have the same ability to
establish milk prices. Pennsylvani
a has had similar type of legislation
in effect of since 1930’s and we as
dairy farmen feel we should be on
the same level playing field with
UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre
Co.) Pennsylvania beef pro
ducers. county extension person
nel, and Penn State’s Department
of Dairy and Animal Science have
introduced a program designed to
improve the genetic value of Pen
nsylvania’s beef herds.
Two herds were designated as
demonstration cooperator herds
for the project, one in Washington
County and one in Westmoreland.
These herds will be used to gather
'production data related to the use
of genetically superior herd sires.
Paul and Bette Slayton from
Slayton at Falklands Farm in Bed
dairy farmers from surrounding
states.”
Jim Comp, Ashtabula County
independent dairy farmer, con
curred. “My farm is only seven
miles from the Pennsylvania bor
der, but in Pennsylvania dairy far
mers are assured of receiving their
share of a $1.45 Class I over-order
premium.
(Editor’s note. Pennsylvania
Milk Marketing Board sets over
order premiums. The current pre
mium is $1.30, but that is with a 25
cent addition made to help com
pensate for increased production
qosts due to the 1991 drought.)
“ln Ohio we have no assurance
that we are going to receive any
over-order premium at all. Lucki
ly, in the past couple of years, we
have due to a tight milk supply, but
Program To Improve Pennsylvania
Beef Herds Under Way
ford have donated the use of a
Polled Hereford bull for breeding
with cows from one of the project
herds, and Penn State has offered
an Angus bull for the other. Both
bulls have EPDs that rank them
well above average for their
respective breeds for potential
growth of their calves and milk
production of their daughters.
The herds will be divided into
two equal groups for the 1992
breeding season. One-half of each
herd will be bred to a bull of
known genetic potential, while the
other half will be mated to bulls of
unknown genetic value.
LanctHf fthmng, SHunHy, Hay 30,1992411
just recently these over-order pre
miums are starting to decrease.”
Wayne Patterson, independent
dairy fanner from Tuscarawas
County, s&d, “Many people, after
hearing the bill, think that it will
automatically increase milk prices,
which is not necessarily true. From
a survey done by the general
accounting office, it showed that
the margin for the Cincinnati and
Cleveland markets for a gallon of
milk, for what farmers received as
compared to what consumers paid,
increased from 59 cents per gallon
in 1985 to $1.06 per gallon in
1990.
“All dairy farmers want to do is
maintain a fair share of the price.
Currently, milk prices are gaining
strength and will begin to exceed
$l3 per hundredweight
Both herds will follow excellent
health management and nutrition
al programs to prevent differences
resulting from management
deficiencies.
“The Ohio Fair Daily Pricing
Bill will give Ohio dairy farmers
the vtod needed so that, if these
prices come down on a federal
level, Ohio dairy farmers can still
maintain part of it That doesn’t
mean that prices will increase, it
only means that we would like to
hold onto the price that we already
have.”
It is expected that testimony for
the Senate Ag Committee will
begin sometime during the month
of June.
The agricultural committee
meets every Thursday at 9 a.m. and
it was stated at the May 14 com
mittee meeting that ample oppor
tunity would be given for propo
nents and opponents to testify so
that all sides are heard regarding
the bill.
Data on reproductive efficien
cy, weaning weight, and weaning
value will be used to compare the
two sires and determine the rela
tive value of each bull to the
enterprise. c