Patrick Leahy: “obviously I agree completely with my colleague from Vermont on this. The point is, this goes beyond questions even of…”

“obviously I agree completely with my colleague from Vermont on this. The point is, this goes beyond questions even of romanticism or anything else. It is not romanticism when we talk about the hard work of the dairy farmers. This is one of the most difficult jobs in America today. They have also, though, created even more problems for themselves because they are the most efficient producers in America today. Their efficiency and their hard work is not being rewarded. It tends to be punished, with the system we have. What we are saying is at least allow us, consumers and producers alike in New England, to set our own destiny. It is the only fair thing. This is not a case where it is farmers against consumers, as though the two are different; or consumers against farmers. This is a case where producers and users come together to make it work. I hope we defeat the effort to strike the New England Dairy Compact. It has been put together by Republicans and Democrats alike. This Senate ought to approve it.”