MDIA Press Conference April 14 - Noon - At State House Welcome Center

MDIA is having a press conference with members of the Legislature Tuesday April 14th at 12 noon at the State House Welcome Center in Augusta.  The Legislature is supporting a Resolution asking Congress and President Obama to take immediate action and fix the federal order system to address the pricing crisis in dairy.  As you come in the main entrance to the State House, the Welcome Center is the first room on the right past the information desk. 
 
Also on Tuesday April 14th at 1pm the Legislature's Agriculture Committee will meet in Room 216 of the Cross Office Building to hear presentations from Stewart Smith and George Criner of the University of Maine on the new Cost of Production numbers and  trends in agriculture.  The Cost of Production numbers have not been approved yet by the Maine Milk Commission.  Any attempt by the Legislature to influence the data at this stage is inappropriate, since the Milk Commission goes through a public hearing process to review those numbers and the public hearing will be May 22nd.  After the Milk Commission has made a decision of the Cost of Production numbers through their rulemaking process, then it goes to the Legislature for oversight review. 
 
Then the Committee will hear from Tim Drake of the Milk Commission regarding milk price forecasts and some possible options for adjusting the Tier Program.  The Committee will hold a work session on the Tier Program.   Price forecasts have not rebounded as well as we hoped and it is very likely that changes to the Tier program will be up for consideration.  This is our last chance to make a statement by having a big turnout of farmers before spring planting.  Please come  to the State House Tuesday April 14th and be involved in both the Press Conference and the Ag Committee meeting.   Even though we cannot speak at the Ag Committee, a strong farmer presence will speak volumes!
 
For Immediate Release
 
April 13th, 2009
Contact:  Senate Republican Leader Kevin Raye, 287-1505
    House Majority Leader John Piotti, 287-1430
    Bonnie Gould, communications director, 287-1505 (Raye)
    Kyle Leighton, communications director, 287-1433 (Piotti) 
 
Media Advisory:  Press conference on Legislative Resolution asking Congress to reform federal dairy pricing
 
AUGUSTA-On Tuesday, April 14th Senate Republican Leader Kevin Raye and House Majority Leader John Piotti will hold a press conference highlighting a Resolution that the Legislature will send to the President and Maine's Congressional delegation regarding a fix to the Federal Order System, a program governed by administrative law that fails to recognize the needs of dairy farmers in Maine and across the country.
 
The state has recognized the importance of the Maine dairy industry to the social and economic fabric of Maine and as such has instituted the Maine Dairy Stabilization Program, creating a safety net for state dairy farms in order to sustain them at a break-even level during times of low milk prices. The program has been extremely successful in stabilizing the number of dairy farms and providing some continuity for the next generation of Maine dairy farmers. Maine created the state response to the problem created by the federal government. 
 
The Resolution asks Congress and the Obama Administration to take immediate action to correct the inadequacies of the Federal Dairy Order and the hardship it  imposes on Maine dairy farmers, urging them to reform the Federal Order System.
 
Who:               Senate Republican Leader Kevin Raye, House Majority Leader John Piotti, and Walt Whitcomb, dairy farmer from Waldo and
member of the Maine Dairy Industry Association.
What:              Press conference on a Resolution asking Congress to take immediate action to support Maine dairy farmers and reform the federal pricing system that is bankrupting family dairy farms across the country.
When:             Tuesday, April 14th, 2009 @ 12:00 noon.
Where:            Welcome Center, State House
 
AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY
Tuesday, April 14th 
 
Meeting to be held in Room 216, Cross Building (SLG Committee)
 
1:00 p.m. - Presentation & Work Session

2009 Milk Cost of Production Study -

             ~ Stewart Smith, professor of Resource Economic & Policy
              ~George Criner, Professor  & Director of the School of Economics
 

Committee Discussion of Price Projections and the Dairy Stabilization Program