Emergency Fund Bill Milks Dry Cow

US - The General Assembly has taken a baby step toward bringing Maryland in line with a handful of other East Coast states that have passed legislation to subsidize their beleaguered dairy farmers.
calendar icon 7 April 2008
clock icon 1 minute read
State lawmakers have given preliminary approval to the creation of the Maryland Dairy Farmer Emergency Trust Fund, but with one giant drawback - the bill lacks funding.

The trust fund bill was designed to create a $15 million pot of money that the state agriculture secretary could distribute to dairy farmers when milk prices fell below the farmers' cost of production.

The emergency fund would seek to halt the decline of farms and ensure residents a supply of fresh, local milk.

"There was just no money in Annapolis this year to fund the legislation," said Del. Paul S. Stull, a Republican from Frederick, who was the lead sponsor.

Source: Baltimore Sun
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