1-20 IAN Dairy and Farm Bill
I received a newsletter from Bob Naerebout, Executive Director, Idaho Dairymens Association saying hopes are high for a new farm bill but heard there was a snafu due to dairy concerns: “I think when you are looking at the problem within Congress, when you are being unsuccessful you have to point your finger at something but to be more specific on dairy, there is a difference between what came out of the Senate approved dairy provisions and the House approved dairy provisions. The Senate has what is called the dairy security act, which Congressman Mike Simpson cosponsored, and the Senate version has for lack of a better word a supply – management portion in it that if the supply of milk gets too high, then if you are participating in the program, you will not be paid for the overproduction. So it really is a play to pay program. If you are participating and getting the margin insurance and it is voluntary, it is not mandatory to be part of the program. If you are participating by getting the margin insurance, then is production goes too high, there will be a cutback in production and you will be paid for that overall production so we support the Senate version. The House version only came out with margin insurance. We will see what happens. I do not think it is an astronomical hurdle. If they keep saying it is because of that provision then obviously there is more going on then what currently meets the eye.
