Release: President Obama Signs Aid for Dairy Farmers

WASHINGTON, October 21 โ€“President Obama today signed legislation to provide $350 million in emergency assistance for hard-pressed dairy farmers.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) โ€“ who sponsored an amendment that added the dairy funds to the Department of Agriculture appropriations bill โ€“ joined the president at the White House for the Oval Office bill-signing ceremony.

The measure provides $290 million for direct support to dairy farmers.  Another $60 million will be used to purchase cheese and other dairy products for food banks and nutrition programs.
 
Sanders and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) said additional measures are needed to bring price stability to the dairy industry and to help preserve family farms.

โ€œDairy farmers are in desperate need. We must help them as soon as possible,โ€ said Sanders.
 
Leahy, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, called the bill โ€œanother timely lifeline for dairy farmers who are struggling just to stay afloat through this crisis.โ€

Rep. Peter Welch, cochairman of the Congressional Dairy Farmers Caucus, said the measure will provide โ€œmuch-needed temporary support to these hardworking, dedicated members of our community.โ€
 
The average price farmers received for their milk fell this year to $11.30 per hundredweight, down from $19.30 in July 2008.  It costs farmers at least $18 per hundredweight to produce milk. As prices plunged, family dairy farms in Vermont and around the country went out of business.
 
Dairy farmers got a temporary boost from the Agriculture Department last July 31 when Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack โ€“ after meeting with the senators from Vermont and other dairy states โ€“ approved a  three-month price hike that was expected to increase farmersโ€™ revenue nationwide by $243 million.