Latest Farm Bill Proposal Contains MILC, Meat Inspection Program
US - The Senate Agriculture Committee has agreed on a new version of the federal farm bill on Thursday that contains provisions that would help Wisconsin dairy farmers remain competitive and permits state-inspected meat processors to expand their markets across state lines.
26 October 2007
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According to U.S. Senator Herb Kohl, who sits on the panel, the measure authorizes federal farm programs for the next five years, such as the Milk Income Loss Contract program. MILC is the counter-cyclical safety net for small and mid-size dairy farmers when milk prices plummet.
Beginning in October 2008, the Farm Bill restores the payment rate for MILC to 45-percent of the difference between market price and target price. It also strengthens the safety net by covering up to 4.15 million pounds of milk per farm, which is equivalent to the average production of a Wisconsin dairy herd of 220 cows.
"I'm glad we were able to include provisions in the Farm Bill that will help Wisconsin farmers and rural businesses," the Milwaukee Democrat said. "The billions of dollars that dairy farming contributes to our state's economy each year is inherently linked to the success of farm families and rural communities across Wisconsin."
Since its inception, the MILC program has provided over $517 million to Wisconsin dairy farmers.
