Wisconsin Farmers Union stresses that dairy farmers are going broke as farmers and processors alike dump milk due to oversupply. In the effort to overhaul the milk pricing system, WFU says it’s essential that farmer voices are front and center.
This follows the announcement by the USDA about public hearings on the pricing formulas in the Federal Milk Marketing Orders.
WFU encourages dairy farmers to provide input and engage in the rulemaking process. This will kick off with an in-person national hearing Aug. 23 in Carmel, Indiana. Opportunities to share testimony virtually start Sep. 1 on Fridays.
“The Federal Milk Market Order hearings are one important piece of the puzzle,” says WFU President Darin Von Ruden, a dairy farmer from Westby. “At the same time we need to be cautious to not be lulled into contentment with small wins that won’t ultimately lead to effective change.”
Von Ruden says unchecked overproduction is the underlying issue impacting dairy farmers’ livelihoods.
“That’s why Farmers Union and our Dairy Together coalition will continue to organize for fairer prices and growth management through the Dairy Revitalization Plan in the lead-up to the farm bill,” he says. “Farmers’ input on both FMMO reforms and the farm bill process are crucial if we are going to have a system that addresses ongoing farm loss and ensures a future for the generations that follow.”
WFU Policy Suggestions
WFU policy supports an overhaul of the Federal Milk Marketing Order system. The organization wants greater market transparency and for dairy farmers to capture more of the value in the supply chain.
WFU says such reform could include alternative methods of price discovery, alternative product price formulas, or limited de-pooling. The organization also suggests amending the pricing formula so that farmers’ pay price reflects a blend price of all cheeses rather than the CME price of cheddar.
You must preregister to present testimony. Learn more and find proposals that are up for consideration: https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2023-15496.pdf
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