WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), Rating Member on the Senate Agriculture Committee, launched a Farm Invoice framework reflecting the priorities of Senate Republicans. The Senate Republicans’ framework contains a number of IDFA priorities, specifically the define for a SNAP Dairy Vitamin Incentives Program, or DNIP, which expands on the SNAP Wholesome Fluid Milk Incentives (HFMI) program to incorporate all kinds of milk, in addition to cheese and yogurt and cultured merchandise. The DNIP define included within the Senate Republicans’ framework displays the bipartisan Dairy Vitamin Incentives Program Act co-sponsored by U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) within the Senate and by U.S. Reps. Jim Costa (D-Calif.) and Nick Langworthy (R-N.Y.) within the Home, which gained IDFA assist in 2023 and has remained the middle of IDFA’s Farm Invoice advocacy. The Dairy Vitamin Incentive Program Act presently has 8 bipartisan co-sponsors within the Senate and 15 bipartisan cosponsors within the Home. This system would increase the HFMI tasks—a 2018 Farm Invoice program presently testing finest practices for incentivizing milk purchases amongst SNAP beneficiaries in 19 states—to incorporate all kinds of nutritious milk and dairy merchandise.
IDFA President and CEO Michael Dykes, D.V.M., mentioned, “IDFA applauds Rating Member Boozman and Senate Republicans for main this effort to extend entry to nutritious dairy merchandise with a sturdy dairy vitamin incentives program. IDFA can also be grateful to Chairwoman Stabenow for increasing the present incentive program in her Farm Invoice framework. IDFA is dedicated to working with members of the Home and Senate Agriculture Committees to make sure a sturdy program, reflective of the extensively in style and bipartisan Dairy Vitamin Incentives Program Act, turns into a part of the following Farm Invoice.”
The Farm Invoice framework launched at present contains a number of different IDFA priorities. Importantly, the define ensures any proposed adjustments to the Class I mover method will probably be decided by USDA by way of the Federal Milk Advertising Order (FMMO) course of presently underway, in keeping with IDFA’s said objectives.
“The USDA course of to make adjustments to the FMMO system by way of a Federal Order Listening to has been beneath approach for nicely over one 12 months, and USDA will quickly announce its really useful FMMO choice,” mentioned Dykes. “IDFA members really feel strongly that the Farm Invoice shouldn’t predetermine the end result of USDA’s ongoing FMMO course of.”
The Senate Republicans’ 2024 Farm Invoice define additionally guarantees value surveys to make sure make allowances precisely replicate the price of manufacturing dairy merchandise. This provision is in keeping with IDFA’s requests for value surveys for butter, cheddar cheese, nonfat dry milk, and whey within the subsequent Farm Invoice.
At this time’s define additionally makes the Dairy Ahead Pricing Program everlasting, thereby eliminating the likelihood that ahead pricing applications for Class II, III and IV proprietary crops and their producers will lapse if a brand new farm invoice shouldn’t be handed earlier than the prevailing farm invoice expires.
Lastly, the framework would additionally permit faculties to serve entire milk and decreased fats (2%) milk to college students, pursuant to the Home Agriculture Committee Chairman Thompson’s Entire Milk for Wholesome Youngsters Act, which IDFA has supported (Sec. 12403 – p. 914).
“There stays a lot work to do for each Committees and all of Congress to develop a bipartisan Farm Invoice that may win passage in each chambers to develop into regulation,” mentioned Dykes. “IDFA and its member leaders will proceed to advocate with bipartisan Committee leaders in addition to their respective staffs to make sure our business’s full set of priorities are mirrored in future farm invoice drafts and, finally, a bipartisan Farm Invoice that may be enacted into regulation.”
The Worldwide Dairy Meals Affiliation (IDFA), Washington, D.C., represents the nation’s dairy manufacturing and advertising and marketing business, which helps greater than 3.2 million jobs that generate $49 billion in direct wages and $794 billion in total financial affect. IDFA’s numerous membership ranges from multinational organizations to single-plant firms, from dairy firms and cooperatives to meals retailers and suppliers, all on the chopping fringe of innovation and sustainable enterprise practices. Collectively, they signify many of the milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cultured merchandise, and dairy substances produced and marketed in the US and offered all through the world. Scrumptious, secure and nutritious, dairy meals supply unparalleled well being and shopper advantages to folks of all ages.