06/16/06 Dairyman testifies at hearing

Washington Ag June 16, 2006 USDA needs to be kicked in the pants a little more over their administration of some programs important to the dairy industry. That's what Lyndon, Washington, dairy farmer Larry Stap told the U.S. House Agriculture Committee at that field hearing in Yakima this past weekend. Stap criticized the USDA over its handling of the Dairy Export Incentive Program, DEIP. Stap: "Where they subsidize exports to compete against world markets. They haven't fully funded that and the regulations are so stringent that often times we can't use it. If you get that program in place with our self-funded CWT program we can be an incredible export marketer out in the world." On the other side of the trade equation, Stap said USDA is not monitoring imports too well. Stap: "There are import quotas and they are not watching them. And of course when that import quota hit's a certain amount the tariff is supposed to increase. They are virtually ignored and product just keeps on rolling in." Stap said the federal dairy price support program is non-discriminatory as to location and size of dairy operations and should be continued in a new farm bill although he said the support price wasn't a living price at which he could make money. I'm Bob Hoff.