Nothing to do with dairy legislation gets past Congressman Collin Peterson of Minnesota. Peterson runs the House Ag committee and has been a long time hunting buddy of Gary Hanman, former(?) CEO of DFA.
Beginning at the second paragraph:
Rep. Collin C. Peterson, D-Minn., said he believes the past year's deep decline in milk prices will result in momentum for fundamental changes in dairy policy when Congress considers the five-year farm bill in 2012, as long as farm groups can find common ground and opposition from milk processors can be kept to a minimum.
Mr. Peterson outlined his expectations in an interview at his Capitol Hill office in which he also disputed widespread criticism that the dairy industry is plagued by price manipulation and discussed the role Rep. William L. Owens, D-Plattsburgh, may play on the committee, to which he was named two weeks ago.
But, here is the meat and bone of Mr Peterson's mind:
When lawmakers map out a new safety net, it will have to include a supply management system to keep milk production in check, Mr. Peterson said. That could be especially true if lawmakers follow Mr. Peterson's approach and limit any measures that steer more money to smaller farms.
"We can't be about advantaging one size farmer over the other," Mr. Peterson said. "We're not going to save the small family farm. The marketplace is going to take care of that."
What exactly would lead Mr. Peterson to the conclusion the "marketplace" is going to save the family farm? Maybe, that is not exactly what the Representative from Minnesota, where farms tend to be small, said or wanted people to think he said.
Looking at Peterson's record clearly points in the wrong direction.
My God, John!
ReplyDeletePeterson lays it out loud and clear! The nation's dairymen will have NO SAY in the coming 2012 Farm Bill! NMPF is working up the Dairy Bill. Right there laid out in the final paragraph. What ever hits the ground will be a monstrosity sired by Jerry Kosack!
Obviously Peterson's not going to allow anyone to even question, let alone go near the pricing structure. If this country's dairymen don't get their heads outta their backsides these Washington guys intend to stick it even further up their whazooes. Wake up guys!!! Nate Wilson.
While a healthy dose of skeptisism is always important, it is noteworthy that Colin Peterson is strongly signaling that supply management must be part of the program. Mr. Kozak is only a very, very recent convert to that concept. Unfortuately, the supply management program currently being considered by NMPF is one that only kicks in after a wreck is underway. A better approach would be to structure the dairy program to keep supply in line with demand by design and therefore prevent the currently predictable cyclical wrecks from happening. This type of approach is embedded in HR5288 introduced by Costa/Welch.
ReplyDeleteWhat marketplace is going to help the small farmer? This guy's obviously in someone's pocket. We already know who's pocket Comrade Kozak is in. These people shouldn't even have input to farm milk pricing, they are not farmers!
ReplyDeleteIs there anyone out there that still needs proof that these bastards don't give a f%#@ about you??
ReplyDeleteRusty
Well reported john. If peterson and cohorts can get rid of the MILC and the concept that taxpayer money only goes to small farms then volume bonuses will soon take care of anyone who thinks about milking less than a semi a day.
ReplyDelete