Dairy Industry Statements on Farm Bill Progress

(WASHINGTON D.C.)– On Wednesday, both Republican and Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill have Farm Bill frameworks and progress announcements. House Ag Chair Glenn “GT” Thompson has indicated a markup of the Farm Bill is planned for May 23rd while House Ag Ranking Member David Scott has released a statement indicated that House Republicans have rejected House Democratic counterproposals.

Dairy industry officials are reacting to the Farm Bill news including U.S. Dairy Export Council President & CEO Krysta Harden, who said in a statement “The U.S. Dairy Export Council is pleased to see the farm bill process advancing as indicated by the overview documents issued today by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow.”

Harden went on to add” As both committees continue their consideration of policies for the next farm bill, dairy exporters are eager to see a doubling of funding for the Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development program (FMD) to support further expansion of the sale of American-made dairy products around the world, to ensure that the bill establishes a robust new process for safeguarding common food and beverage names in international markets and to enhance USDA’s participation in the decision-making process regarding global food aid programs.”

National Milk Producers Federation President & CEO Gregg Doud said in a statement “Dairy farmers are heartened that today, both House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, R-PA, and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-MI, each released documents providing an overview of their farm bill priorities and plans. Dairy farmers and the cooperatives they own are better-served by the certainty provided under a five-year farm bill, and as both chairs point the way toward important dairy priorities across multiple farm bill titles, all of dairy is eager to see this process get moving.”

Doud added, “We look forward to the House Agriculture Committee’s markup of its bill on May 23. We’re ready, and excited, to work with both chairs and their ranking members to complete work on a farm bill this year.”

The one year extension of the 2018 Farm Bill is set to expire this fall as work continues on the new five year legislation.