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MILC Extension Approved in Farm Disaster Aid Package
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 05/11/2007

There a good chance that the Milk Income Loss Contract program will get its needed 30 day extension, which will help reimplement it in the next farm bill. Last night, the House of Representatives voted to approve a $3.5 billion agricultural disaster assistance package for producers affected by devastating weather conditions. The MILC provision was included in the package, which passed 302-120.

Wisconsin Congressman Dave Obey, who chairs the House Appropriations Panel, blasted President Bush for not supporting the measure. But he says the votes are there for a veto override if necessary.

"Right before the last presidential election, President Bush stood in Wausau, Wisconsin and pledged that he would do everything possible to restore the MILC program," Obey said Thursday. "We've received official notice from the President's office that he will veto the Agriculture Disaster Supplemental Appropriation bill if it comes to his desk; and they specifically singled out a provision in the bill that would provide a one-month extension of MILC as one of the reasons. That opposition stands in stark contrast to the President's public pledge."

Obey said the Appropriations Committee included the MILC provision in the bill to close the MILC-gap and ensure dairy fair treatment in the next Farm Bill.

"Because of a budget gimmick in the last Farm Bill, MILC expired in 2005, two full years before the other major commodity programs. Last year, when we extended MILC, the Congressional leadership once again left dairy on an uneven footing--ending payments a month earlier than other commodity programs and creating a MILC-gap that denies dairy a guaranteed seat at the table at the start of negotiations for the next Farm Bill," Obey said.

Obey says the vote on Thursday will 'simply eliminate the gimmick.'

Similar legislation was passed last month, but since it was included in a war spending bill with troop withdrawal language, the White House shot it down.


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