Kerry Warns Dairyland Voters of Bush Plan(not renew Milk Income Loss Contr

[papau]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&ncid=703&e=1&u=/ap/20040927/ap_on_el_pr/kerry

Kerry Warns Dairyland Voters of Bush Plan(not renew Milk Income Loss Contract)

By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer

SPRING GREEN, Wis. - Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry told voters in America's Dairyland on Monday that President Bush had a secret plan that would hurt milk producers after the election. <snip>

"We've had a difference between the Midwest and the Northeast," Kerry said. "I'm going to be very upfront with you about it.

"As a senator representing Massachusetts, I fought for the dairy compact and fought to have our dairy farmers get help," he said. "I'm running for president of the United States now and I intend to represent all the farmers of America."

Kerry said Bush is opposing an effort to extend the Milk Income Loss Contract that helps dairy farmers when milk prices drop and is set to expire in October 2005. He said the Bush administration would wait until after the election to act so voters in swing dairy states wouldn't turn against him. <snip>

[displacedtexan]

1. Rated that one a big fat 5!

Thanks for posting this!

Wouldn't it be loverly...

to have a president of ALL the people and not just those who donate to your campaign?

[sybylla]

2. I'm glad to see Kerry's making a stink about this

Dave Obey's office sent me this last week on it along with a copy of the letter Obey sent to Veneman. I passed it around to my dairying friends.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT

Tuesday, September 14, 2004 Dan Sanchez [phone]

OBEY QUESTIONS USDA ON SECRET POST-ELECTION MILK TAX

WASHINGTON, DC - Seventh District Congressman Dave Obey has asked Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman explain a USDA dairy briefing paper which suggests that a new "milk tax"and a cut in the dairy price support is under consideration by the Bush Administration and may be imposed after the election, along with termination of the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program. Congressman Obey's correspondence to Secretary Veneman is attached.

It was reported last week that a USDA presentation to the American Dairy Products Institute (ADPI) given this past April discussed dairy policy in terms of maximizing votes in major dairy states such as Wisconsin and California. Further, under the heading "Election Year Fallout," one of the presentation's slides indicated that the growing federal budget deficit "will be addressed after the election" with actions including the "likelihood of MILC termination" and "maybe small producer assessment/support price decline."

"This USDA presentation is a valuable insight into the mind of this Administration and the policies of this Department of Agriculture," Obey said. "It suggests that in the run up to the election the 'goals and objectives' of the Administration will be to maximize votes in dairy states by trying to keep milk prices strong."

"That's why, for example, the paper suggests that another 'tilt' in the butter/powder price is 'unlikely before election despite price surge'. However, after the election, things change dramatically because of the massive federal budget deficits. According to the USDA document, that means not just letting the MILC program expire but also possibly imposing a new Milk Tax on farmers and cutting the milk price support."

In a letter to Veneman, Obey asked USDA to drop any plans to impose a new Milk Tax or cut price supports after the election. Obey also asked USDA to support an extension of the MILC program instead of letting it expire September 30, 2005 as it is currently scheduled to do. That program provides assistance to dairy farmers when market prices collapse but when Congress adopted the Farm Bill the dairy program expired 2 years before other commodity programs.

"Simple fairness demands that American dairy farmers get the same deal that the big western grains farmers get," added Obey. "Right now, that is not the case with the MILC program and the secret plan to impose a new Milk Tax and the milk price support program will make it even tougher for struggling family dairy farmers."

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[TheMightyFavog]

3. Too bad that the Farmers from back in my area won't heed his message.

Pretty well much all of them have drank the Fundie's and the NRA's kool-aid.