National Milk Producers Federation successfully prevented the U.S. Department of Agriculture last month from allowing, through private auction, the sale of nonfat dry milk powder at prices below the level specified in the Farm Bill. USDA, facing legal action brought by NMPF, agreed not to submit any of the product for auction, and subsequently agreed not to go forward with any such sale in the future. NMPF had sought a Temporary Restraining Order... More [7]...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced several changes recently to the Dairy Product Price Support Program. In a bulletin issued on January 5, USDA reduced the purchase prices for block cheddar cheese from $1.1314 per pound to $1.13, and for barrel cheddar cheese from $1.1014 to $1.10. The new prices are the minimums fixed by Congress in the 2008 Farm Bill. More [8]...

USDA issued its rule governing the reauthorized and revised Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program on December 4, and began accepting signups on December 22. Given the steep decline in dairy commodity prices, NMPF projects that the MILC program will begin paying out to farmers for their February milk production. As of January 5, we project an average MILC payment rate of $1.10 per hundredweight... More [9]...

President-elect Barack Obama has filled many of the key leadership positions in his Cabinet, including several who will directly or indirectly influence farm policy. These include Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture, Ron Kirk as U.S. Trade Representative, and Ken Salazar as Secretary of the Interior. As with all cabinet level positions, each will need to be confirmed by the Senate early this year before assuming their positions. More [10]...

Two important decisions were made prior to the holidays last month concerning immigration policy. First, the Department of Labor (DOL) posted the expected final rule change for the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program on the DOL website. The new rule does not provide the dairy industry with an exemption from the seasonality requirement. Therefore, the dairy industry remains excluded from the H-2A program. More [11]...

Livestock producers received an early Christmas present from the EPA last month, when the agency announced on Dec. 18 that the CERCLA Superfund law doesn't apply to them. EPA published a final rule entitled "CERCLA/EPCRA Administrative Reporting Exemption for Air Releases of Hazardous Substances from Animal Waste at Farm." This rule will exclude all livestock operations... More [12]...

In comments sent last month to the USDA, NMPF is challenging the National Organic Program (NOP)'s proposed Access to Pasture rule. NMPF's comments to USDA opposed the regulations because of the potential negative consequences it could cause for the U.S. dairy industry... More [13]...

In our last newsletter in early December, NMPF reported that World Trade Organization members were evaluating whether to hold a ministerial meeting in order to attempt to reach a deal before the end of the year. Due to many countries' unwillingness to change their entrenched positions, no meeting was held, and negotiations will continue on the Doha Round in 2009 without a clear agreement in sight. More [14]...

Dana L. Brooks, a veteran government relations professional with experience at both the state and federal levels, has begun work as NMPF's new Senior Director of Government Relations. More [15]...

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