Herb Kohl: “The amendment will not create new dairy compacts in the Southeast or open up the current Northeast Compact to any new…”

“The amendment will not create new dairy compacts in the Southeast or open up the current Northeast Compact to any new members. None of those items is contained in this amendment. The amendment will not extend the life of the Northeast Dairy Compact. USDA has made it clear that the compact will expire on October 1, whether this amendment passes or not. So, then, why are we even considering this amendment? I can only imagine it is because the proponents of the amendment are betting that they will get some of the things they promised--most notably, an extension of the Northeast Dairy Compact--in conference. I think that is a cynical and an irresponsible bet, especially by Senators who are not even on the conference committee. Under an uncertain and unregulated system, dairy farmers across the country stand to lose $194 million a year. Furthermore, this very week dairy farmers all across America are voting on what sort of milk market system they want. So should we not wait to see what farmers have to say before we bet their farms on the Jeffords amendment? The Jeffords amendment is not 1-A. It is not a dairy compact. It is a desperate last attempt to carve a dairy cartel for the Northeast out of the current pricing system. Unfortunately, the authors of the amendment used an ax rather than a knife, and the result will be a milk market order system that will be a bloody mess.”