Russ Feingold: “I rise to join the Senator from Minnesota, Senator Grams, in introducing a measure to repeal the Northeast Interstate…”

“I rise to join the Senator from Minnesota, Senator Grams, in introducing a measure to repeal the Northeast Interstate Dairy Compact. The Northeast Dairy Compact was included in the 1996 farm bill during conference negotiations after it had been struck from the Senate version of the farm bill during floor consideration. Mr. President, support of this legislation is especially crucial as compact proponents have recently introduced a measure to make permanent and expand the Northeast Interstate Dairy Compact and establish a southern dairy compact. In other words, a measure devised to control three percent of the country's milk is now seeking 40% of the country's milk. The cost to consumers, taxpayers, and farmers outside the compact region are enormous. Mr. President, the Northeast Interstate Dairy Compact bill of 1996 established a commission for six Northeastern States--Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut--empowered to set minimum prices for fluid milk above those established under Federal Milk Marketing Orders. This sort or compact was unprecedented and unnecessary because the Federal milk marketing order system already provided farmers in the designated compact region with minimum milk prices higher than those received by most other dairy farmers throughout the nation. But they wanted more.…”