Rod Grams: “I will take a few minutes this morning to talk about an industry that is very important to the State of Minnesota, and…”

“I will take a few minutes this morning to talk about an industry that is very important to the State of Minnesota, and that is our dairy industry. June is National Dairy Month, and I come to the floor today to pay tribute to the family farmers who rise early every morning to supply fresh milk to our Nation. We as consumers assume there will always be dairy products in our grocery stores, without considering the hard work that is a daily requirement to get them there. I grew up on a dairy farm myself, and I can remember those early morning milkings before going to school and again, of course, when I got home. I don't take for granted the hard work required of dairy farmers to make a living. Unfortunately, for Minnesota dairy producers, it is becoming harder and harder just to make a living. The dairy compact in New England, which sets a price floor for that region, is spurring overproduction that is spilling over into the Midwest and is depressing the price received by Minnesota farmers.”