PRINTER'S NO. 2158
No. 360 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY HANNA, HERSHEY, BAKER, BASTIAN, BELFANTI, BOBACK,
BRENNAN, BROOKS, CALTAGIRONE, CARROLL, CAUSER, COHEN,
CONKLIN, COX, DALEY, DENLINGER, D. EVANS, EVERETT, FABRIZIO,
FLECK, GEORGE, GODSHALL, GRUCELA, HALUSKA, HICKERNELL, JAMES,
JOSEPHS, KAUFFMAN, M. KELLER, KESSLER, KORTZ, MAHONEY, MAJOR,
MENSCH, MILLARD, MOUL, OLIVER, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, SAYLOR,
SIPTROTH, SOLOBAY, STABACK, TANGRETTI, YEWCIC, YOUNGBLOOD,
PETRARCA, MYERS, CLYMER, KULA, LONGIETTI AND MURT,
JUNE 29, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS,
JUNE 29, 2007
A RESOLUTION
1 Expressing support for national dairy policy reform and urging
2 policies advanced in HR 2462 in the 2007 Federal Farm Bill
3 reauthorization.
4 WHEREAS, Agriculture is a leading economic force in this
5 Commonwealth, creating $4.8 billion in cash receipts annually
6 from production agriculture which generates nearly $50 billion
7 in total economic impact; and
8 WHEREAS, Dairy is the predominant sector of agriculture in
9 this Commonwealth, with 8,600 dairy farm businesses that produce
10 more than 10.6 billion pounds of milk annually and generate 42%
11 of the agricultural revenues in the State; and
12 WHEREAS, Pennsylvania dairy farmers have suffered
13 economically from an extended period of record low prices
14 resulting in extreme economic hardship for farm families across
1 this Commonwealth; and
2 WHEREAS, The current Federal dairy price system is
3 responsible for an estimated 90% of the price dairy farmers
4 receive for their milk; and
5 WHEREAS, The current Federal pricing system inadequately
6 considers market conditions unique to Pennsylvania or the
7 national and global demand for dairy products; and
8 WHEREAS, Dennis Wolff, Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture,
9 in consultation with leading dairy economists, developed a
10 comprehensive proposal, HR 2462, for national dairy policy
11 reform; and
12 WHEREAS, HR 2462 sets forth key elements for strengthening
13 the safety net for producers, including price transparency and
14 timely audits of reports, improvements in the Federal order
15 system and expansion of export opportunities by encouraging
16 industry investment; and
17 WHEREAS, These reforms, if adopted, will benefit Pennsylvania
18 producers and the dairy industry nationwide by strengthening
19 demand for dairy products, increasing the price received by
20 producers and reducing price volatility; therefore be it
21 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
22 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania express full and enthusiastic
23 support for national dairy policy reform and urge the Congress
24 of the United States to incorporate the policies advanced in HR
25 2462 in the 2007 Federal Farm Bill reauthorization; and be it
26 further
27 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
28 the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each
29 member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
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