By Jamie Martin
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) has responded to the USDA’s proposed amendments to all 11 Federal Milk Marketing Orders (FMMOs). AFBF President Zippy Duvall expressed both appreciation and concern regarding these proposals.
Duvall acknowledged the USDA’s efforts to address some of the longstanding issues in milk pricing. He particularly appreciated the intent to revert the Class I skim milk price to the ‘higher-of’ formula, which AFBF has been advocating for.
He also expressed disappointment over certain changes that seem to benefit processors more than producers. Duvall emphasized that many dairy farmers are struggling, with some even going out of business. He believes the USDA missed opportunities to modernize and improve price formulas.
One of the key issues AFBF highlighted is the need for a mandatory, audited survey of processors’ costs before any changes to make allowances. Duvall stressed that dairy farmers deserve fairness in their milk checks and transparency in the pricing formula. Without accurate and unbiased data, the milk marketing order system cannot ensure this fairness.
AFBF has been advocating for FMMO reform since 2021 and even hosted an industry-wide forum in 2022 to address these issues.
Representatives from AFBF were present for nearly all of the 49 days of the USDA hearing in August 2023. They provided testimony multiple times based on proposals developed through AFBF’s grassroots policy process and recommendations from the 2022 FMMO Forum.
AFBF plans to submit formal comments on the USDA’s recommended proposals and encourages its members to do the same. The organization remains committed to fighting for a fair and transparent milk marketing system that benefits all dairy farmers.
Photo Credit: american-farm-bureau-federation
Categories: National