Op Ed: Sen. Gillibrand and S-1645
5.27.2010
For the last 18 months U.S. dairy farmers have been caught in the most
vicious low farm milk price cycle since the Great Depression. Much rhetoric
has been expended about the crisis on America's dairy farms and
proposed solutions investigated by our Congressmen and Senators.
One solution of particular note is contained in a
proposal tendered by an organization known as Progressive Agriculture. This
proposal was introduced into the Senate Agriculture Committee as S-889,
withdrawn, amended and reintroduced as The Federal Milk Marketing Act of
2009 (S-1645)
As S-1645, it has drawn much attention and support from
a significant number of dairy farmers nationwide. Many of these dairymen
have invested and continue to invest, a most significant amount of
effort in urging this initiative into passage. This they have done at great
expenditure of time and desperately reduced finances.
As a U.S. Senator and member of the Senate Agriculture
Committee, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is in a unique position to preform a
valuable service to her New York dairy farmer constituents in particular and
U.S. dairymen in general. What these sincere, deserving and desperate
people need is a straight answer.
Simply stated: what is the status of S-1645? As it now
stands all that seems to be known is that it was introduced into the Senate
Ag. Committee and that it has tarried there for some time. As Sen.
Gillibrand knows it can not be considered and debated by the Senate until
such time as it is voted out of Committee and sent to the Senate Floor.
At this juncture U.S. dairymen need answers. If S-1645
is a non-starter these deserving, well intentioned people need to know so
they can regroup to develop and advocate workable solutions. To keep them in
a state of limbo is neither decent, humane or moral. Please, Sen. Gillibrand;
share your view or at least your opinion of the viability and prospects of
S-1645.