Many Issues Surround Northeast Dairy VERNON ACHENBACH JR. , ... . „ , .. ... ' / T B . would be forever stymied, and the nationally leading milk production HARRISBURG Yo*andP*ms>'lva n \ tv. looA n:ii toy, 811(1 others, would never be ma, efforts have been underway to . from commodity prpducUon effi- to include those Mid-Atlantic ®, TT . P c SU PP ? cicncies and modernizations. states and several others into the rams for UmtedStates agricultural othcr wolds> such Northcast compact. UC^ S f • C i 68115 price manipulations would con- There are also efforts to create a tu* 1 e’u e .U*' r rinue to prove to be a sinkhole for Southern Compact and a North- W,* the fall of the former ta doUars md add west Compact Soviet Umon and the Communist ... .. .... Party in most of the world, long 'wj!' a Y*** *** Northeast Dairy time trade obstacles mostly removed, slowly responding Compact Commission added reg prolcctionistic policies created cratlc overlord to daily ulations to control the amount of unfair and problematic difficulties Northeast Dairy Compactis to f rec global teade, especial y for S agncultural farm rfce support fa mdustry seeking to export For the UmtedStates and trad- to farm U J B^ rtae i.T° n t? ee ° pen rather consumers are required to global trade has been seen as a pay sUg htlyhigherretailpricesfor catalyst to unproved economic dn^ 6^ conditions and improved individu- While it could be argued that the al human condiUons additional retail cost consumers Agncultural production protec- pay to support dairy farmerincom uons, specifically those m which a a f om of a sales tax, and thus nation s government subsidizes footin b y, producer incomes and artificially Northeast Dai Compact was ’ owers world commodity originally / d for {£ Ncw through export suteidics.had been lanadon amajorblockmsettlmgthcGener- that fanns were F esMlial frATST enton to i,s P lctures que landscape, . . the landscape is essential to tour- The World Trade Organization m of resulted from years of GATT dis- economic for 4 W cussions, and serves as an arbitra- England states tion agency for member nations in simply, the Compact o m SPUteS : • Commission consisting of del- The 1996 Farm Bill s provisions eg ates from each of the participat t° elmunate fed«al government ■ states represcnting Zry pm subsidizatton of producer incomes d ucers, processors, and for agricultural commodiues was a consumers F _ determines thc major concession made m order to • e . J .. .. . ... minimum pnee farmers are to encourage other nations to follow . ... 6 r j 1 receive for their milk, and a retail smt, as well as to iedu« federal price ofdrinking milk that can pro spending that was (xmtnbutmg to a vjde growmg naUonal debt farmers Export subsidization, which can ndldmvm Mcks wbcn allow selling commodiues m thc drinking Mlk prices (as b±e world market at below cost, federal government according to a requires transferring weal* from fonnula * val . other businesses to artificially sup- ueso f milk products such as butter port another business. S e .. ~ .. _ . ..I*. . and cheese) falls below the Com- The long-term outlook for such n _ LILI • ■. . . ® , pact Commission-set level. KfL* WhUe the New England states cover (hr vnt m f Uowcd only produce about 3 percent of the n*l growth uveness upon milk shipments from thc V % s l With the Hydro Cow Flotation System you can float a down cow back onto its legs harmlessly without using clamps, belts or chains. The Hydro Cow is a natural way to get a cow back on its legs using only warm water. Hydro Cow Flotation Service is available in Lancaster, York and Chester Counties, and northeastern Maryland From Solanco Veterinary Service 496 Solanco Rd., Quarryville, PA 717-786-1303. 1-800-262-7331 live burdens improved by the compact on” schools and the parti cipants in the Federal Supplemen tal Food Program for Women, Infants and Children (commonly referred to as the “WIC Program"). According to Rep. Bunt, with regard to the first amendment, “We thought, perhaps we ought to have as broad as representation on the compact as possible and have the delgation constructed so that the people’s voices be heard, rather than having the appoint ments be made withouth any input from the farming community " Under both previous plans, the governor would have the authority to appoint delegates to the Com pact Commission, which only requires consent by the state Senate. Under the House version. Bunt argued that dairy fanners would have a much better chance to be involved in and influence the posi tions of a Compact delegation. With .both political party chairs of the respective state agriculture committees as Compact delega tion members, it can be argued that dairy farmers arc more likely to get a bipartisan, agriculturally sensi tive, and issue-aware delegation that could give dairy farmers more influence, because of a closer rela tionship between voters and local elected representatives. It is also argued that consistency would be greater because despite some turnover in staff to state Legislature’s standing committees We watch over every step in the manufacture, assembly and construction of your building. Morton operates five manufacturing facilities, strategically located to serve you efficiently # MORTON Dllll DU ILL! I Pi li j control experts m We maintain a fleet of company-owned and operated trucks, enabling our drivers to unload your building materials quickly and safely From that point, a crew of company-trained, company-employed, and company-insured construction professionals takes over. They are trained to follow the most efficient and safe construction methods possible, and are supplied with state-of-the-art equipment and quality materials to make your facility something to be proud of for years to come House Ag Committee Dairy Compact Legislation (Continued from Pag* A 25) Compact For Pennsylvania milk that can be shipped to Com pact receiving plants and then be shipped back out of the region. When milk is received at a Com pact plant it qualifies for Compact pricing. According to Kenneth Becker, executive director of the Compact Commission, an excessive amount of milk was being shipped in, qual ifying for the Compact price, and then being shipped out again. Mae recently, the Commission from time to time, generally there is a greater chance for continuity of knowledge about agricultural issues and historical developments. “It brings things a little closer to home,” Bunt said, in comparing the proposed structure of the Com pact delegation. “I would like to see a stronger presence (on a Com pact delegation) of members how are working with agriculture on a day-in, day-out basis.” As far as the amendment to include a sunset provision. Bunt said it gives Pennsylvania farmers an opportunity to get out if Pen nsylvania joins and things start going badly. “We did a sunset amendment because we wanted to make sure there is an exit provision, in case we see that this is going to add fuel to the demise of the small dairy far mer,” Bunt said, “and that is a primary concern of the members of the Ag Committee in the House. “We see (the Northeast Dairy Compact) granting short term relief to small dairy farmers, but we ate concerned about the long term impacts.” He said there appears to be a growing consensus that the Com- pact, with its supply management abilities and other authorities that can supercede state authority, could set up a situation whereby indepedent dairy producers, espe cially small family farms, could be minimized, if not sacrificed, in the 717/624-3331 3368 York Rd. Gettysburg, PA 17325 800-447-7436 began the process of reviewing a proposal to create supply manage ment regulations to provide incen tives for dairy fanners within the Compact to maintain or decrease production. That issue is set to be discussed and considered by the Compact Commission during its June meeting. In the meantime, the federal law (Turn to Pag* A 32) Amends name of production controls designed to stabilize prices. Production controls could well build a strong foundation for sta bilized production, which is being interpreted as meaning “inte grated" or “contract" dairy produc tion industry. There are other concerns as well, especially in trying to under stand why the state’s major farm organizations have recently changed policy with regard to pro duction controls, when they have historically expressed strong opposition to government con trolling individual opportunities to compete. “It passed with very reluctant support," Rep. Bunt said. “And we do consider the House to be closer to the people, because of the small er constituencies. “Frankly, we have always been a friend of the dairy farmers," Bunt said, “and even thought we went to diem with our concerns and reser vations, they weren’t greeted well, because of die short-term benefits. But keeping in mind the support (from the farmers and farm organi zations), we relunctantly agreed to go along with it “I hope to God I’m wrong,” Bunt said about the negative long term outlook for small dairy far mers under an expanded Compact. “But I would be remiss if I said I didn’t have these reservations.” 908/454-7900 P.O. Box 126, Phillipsburg, NJ 08865 Illinois only, call 1-800-426-6686
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