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Sen. Patrick Leahy (right) joined Rep. Bernie Sanders (left) and Sen.
Jim Jeffords (center) as the Vermont delegation hailed the final passage
of a two-year extension of the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program
on February 1, 2006. |
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Dairying in
Vermont is more than a job or an industry. It is a way of life.
Vermont’s landscape is defined by the green pastures and silos that
dot the hills. Our agricultural economy depends on the hundreds of
millions of dollars dairy farmers bring to the state every year. We
all need to ensure that dairying is not only a part of Vermont’s past,
but a vital part of Vermont’s future. Our dairy
farms, however, will not be able to survive unless they can receive
a fair price for the milk they produce. I remain a strong
proponent of the Northeast Dairy Compact, the single best tool for
getting a fair price for milk out of the market, not from the
government. I will also continue to oppose over consolidation
in the dairy processing industry. Consumers and farmers
benefit when there is competition in our dairy markets. Learn
about my efforts below.
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Resources from the Congressional Research Service:
The "Farm Bill" in Brief
Previewing a 2007 Farm Bill
Agriculture Disaster Assistance The Congressional Research
Service provides members of Congress with non-partisan research and
analysis of legislation and issues. It's my goal to make all of
these reports available to the tax payer. You can read more
about my efforts
here.
Until then, I've made the below reports available in PDF form to help
you research this issue further.
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Important Information About My Work to See that the MILC Program is
Properly Implemented
Farm Bill Implementation Hearing:
May 14, 2003
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Statement - Of Senator Patrick
Leahy At The Senate Agriculture Committee Farm Bill Implementation
Hearing
Farm Bill Implementation Hearing:
September 17, 2002
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Hearing
Statement - Of Senator Patrick Leahy On The
Implementation of the Farm Bill - Agriculture, Nutrition, and
Forestry Committee Hearing
- Chart: Difference
Between Mandated MILC Payments Versus Actual MILC Payments Made By
USDA [PDF File]
- Chart: Retail Prices
Steady As Price Farmers Receive Plummet [PDF File]
- Chart: Impact of USDA MILC
Program Regulations [PDF File]
- Chart: USDA MILC Payments
Shortchanges Medium Sized Family Farms [PDF File]
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Statements and News Releases on
Dairy Issues
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Release - Vermont
Dairy Farmers Win Key Proviso For Extending And Expanding MILC
Program May 24, 2007
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Statement -
Of Sen. Patrick Leahy On Senate Amendment 1165, Concerning Dairy
Workers And Comprehensive Immigration Reform May 23, 2007
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Release -
Vermont Delegation Wins Another Key
Victory In The Effort To Extend And Expand MILC Program April
24, 2007
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Release -
Senate OKs Leahy Measure Paving The Way
For MILC Extension March 29, 2007
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Statement - Of Sen.
Patrick Leahy At The Senate Agriculture Committee Field Hearing,
Montpelier, Vermont, "2007 Farm Bill Opportunities For Vermont And
The Northeast" March 12, 2007
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Release -
Senate Agriculture Committee Announces
Witness List For Vermont Hearing On The 2007 Farm Bill March
5, 2007
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Release - Vermont Field
Hearing Set For March 12 As Congress Gears Up To Write The Next Farm
Bill February 24, 2007
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Release - Leahy, Kohl
Introduce Bill Prohibiting Cloned Products From Organic Labeling
February 8, 2007
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Reaction - Of Sen.
Patrick Leahy, Sen. Bernie Sanders, And Rep. Peter Welch To The Bush
Administration's Dairy Proposals For The 2007 Farm Bill
January 31, 2007
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Letter - Senators Send Letter To
President Requesting Meeting To Discuss Urgent Need for Agricultural
Disaster Assistance January 29, 2007
Statement - Of Sen.
Patrick Leahy, Senate Agriculture Committee Hearing On Dairy Policy
July 20, 2006
Release - Key Senate
Panel OKs Emergency Farm Relief That Would Aid Vermont Farmers
June 22, 2006
Letter - Letter From
Vermont Delegation To Vermont Governor James Douglas On Delegation
Efforts To Bring Assistance To Vermont Dairy Farmers June 14, 2006
Letter -
Vermont Delegation Urges Bush To
Stop Blocking Aid For Family Dairy Farmers June 13, 2006
Release -
Bipartisan Senate Coalition Declares
Opposition To Bush Budget's Milk Tax And Other Hits On Dairy Farmers
March 8, 2006
Release -
Vermont's Congressional Delegation Opposes Bush
Administration's New Plans For A Dairy Tax February 6, 2006
Release -
Got MILC! Vermont Delegation Hails Victory For
Vermont Dairy Farmers As Congress Gives Final OK To MILC Program Extension
February 1, 2006
Release - Senate Thursday Night
Passes Extension Of MILC Program That Protects Dairy Farmers
When Prices Plummet November 3, 2005
Release
- MILC Program Survives Key Test, Amendment To Kill Program
Fails, Agriculture Panel Then OKs MILC Extension October 19, 2005
News Update - On Wednesday's MILC Program
Showdown October 18, 2005
Release
-
Legislation To Renew MILC Program Is Unveiled And Nears Its
First Crucial Test October 5, 2005
News Release
- Leahy, Jeffords And Bipartisan
Coalition Launch Effort To Extend MILC Program February 3, 2005
News
Release - Agriculture
Secretary Designate Clears Panel
…Tells Leahy He Will Support Bush Promise To Renew MILC Program January 7,
2005
News Release - White House And Its
GOP Allies Kill MILC Extension . . . For Now October 9, 2004
News Release - From
the Vermont Congressional Delegation: Senate Panel Votes to Extend MILC
Program September 21, 2004
News Release - Vermont
Delegation Introduces National Dairy Equity Act June 16, 2004
News Release - Leahy
Successfully Leads Effort To Keep Milk In Schools And Bring Farm-Fresh
Produce To Cafeterias May 20, 2004
News
Release - Jeffords And Leahy Urge
Bush Administration To Carefully Consider Effects Of U.S.-Australian
Free Trade Agreement January 28, 2004
News Release - Jeffords,
Leahy Call on President To Protect Dairy Farmers in Trade Negotiations
January 21, 2004
News Release
- Leahy Urges USDA To Protect Dairy Farmers September
26, 2003
Letter - From Senator
Leahy And Others Urging USDA To Donate Surplus Butter September 26,
2003
Press
Release - Leahy And Jeffords Ask
GAO To Investigate Milk Markets In Northeast
March 11, 2003
Press
Release - Senator
Patrick Leahy And Others Introduce Bill To Close Loophole In Dairy
Import Rule That Hurts Vermont Dairy Farmers March 6, 2003
Reaction
- Of Senator Patrick Leahy
To St. Albans Co-Op’s Decision To
Affiliate With Dairy Farmers Of America
February 11, 2003
Press
Release -
Leahy, Dayton Hail FDA Enforcement Action On
Kraft’s Misuse Of Milk Protein Concentrates January 9,
2003
Press
Release - Ten Senators Ask For Antitrust
Investigation Of The Hood-NDH Dairy Merger December 10, 2002
Press
Release - Leahy, Jeffords Warn That Hood Milk-NDH
Merger Could Hurt Vermont Dairy Farmers November 20, 2002
Press
Release - USDA To Begin Making Dairy Payments; Leahy,
Jeffords and Sanders Hail Long-Awaited Payments October 15, 2002
Press
Release - Leahy, Jeffords, Sanders Ask USDA To Rewrite Its
‘Farmer-Unfriendly’ Draft Rules For Dairy Plan August 29, 2002
Press
Release - National
Dairy Plan, Modeled On N.E. Dairy Compact, Added To Farm Bill -
Reaction of The Vermont Congressional Delegation to the Agreement On
A National Dairy Program April 26, 2002
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