PRINTER'S NO. 1903
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
403
Session of
2018
INTRODUCED BY AUMENT, BAKER, MARTIN, ARGALL, BARTOLOTTA, BROOKS,
BREWSTER, SABATINA, EICHELBERGER, SCARNATI, GREENLEAF,
BROWNE, VULAKOVICH, GORDNER, SCHWANK, FOLMER, KILLION,
RAFFERTY, RESCHENTHALER, WHITE, BLAKE AND WARD, JUNE 20, 2018
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, JUNE 20, 2018
A RESOLUTION
Designating the month of June 2018 as "Dairy Month" in
Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Dairy farming is a major part of Pennsylvania's
agriculture and overall economy, generating $14.7 billion of
economic activity annually; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania ranks fifth nationally in milk
production, and the State's 525,000 cows produce more than 10.8
billion pounds of milk annually, supporting more than 52,000
jobs across this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, In 2016, this Commonwealth lost 120 dairy farms, and
1,200 dairy farms have been lost overall since 2012; and
WHEREAS, The retail price of milk has decreased by 50% since
2014; and
WHEREAS, According to a survey conducted by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, the number of Pennsylvania high
school students reporting that they did not drink any milk at
all in the seven days before the survey has been steadily
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increasing since 2009; and
WHEREAS, Many of our dairy farmers were notified by Dean
Foods that they would no longer be able to purchase their milk,
leaving many with little time and options to find an alternative
buyer resulting in many making the decision to sell their herds
and ultimately their livelihood; and
WHEREAS, This extreme downturn in dairy consumption and
production has led to what USA Today is calling a "crisis" that
"is so dire that dairy marketing cooperatives have started
providing suicide hotline information to members along with milk
checks"; and
WHEREAS, Dairy farmers have been operating under thin profit
margins and within hostile market conditions; and
WHEREAS, Approximately 99% of Pennsylvania's dairy farms are
family owned; and
WHEREAS, It is clear that now, more than ever, dairy farmers
and their families need help; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate designate the month of June 2018 as
"Dairy Month" in Pennsylvania; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Senate thereby bring awareness to the
current hardships facing the dairy industry in Pennsylvania; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the immense value that
Pennsylvania's dairy industry injects into local and state
economies; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Senate applaud the hard work and
resiliency of our dairy farmers and their families; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the Senate, in so doing, promote the purchase
and consumption of the high-quality dairy products produced here
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in Pennsylvania.
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