PRINTER'S NO. 589
No. 22 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY MADIGAN, DELP, WENGER, O'PAKE, MURPHY, EARLL, WHITE, HELFRICK, CORMAN, STAPLETON, GERLACH, KASUNIC, HECKLER, MELLOW, BELAN, WOZNIAK, MOWERY, HART AND MUSTO, FEBRUARY 28, 1997
REFERRED TO AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS, FEBRUARY 28, 1997
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1 Creating a task force to study and report on the issues 2 concerning the regulation, management and process by which 3 Pennsylvania dairy farmers are paid for their milk; and 4 directing the Center for Rural Pennsylvania to assist the 5 task force. 6 WHEREAS, Agriculture is Pennsylvania's number one industry; 7 and 8 WHEREAS, Agriculture is a major industry in rural 9 Pennsylvania; and 10 WHEREAS, The dairy industry is a leading component of 11 Pennsylvania's agriculture industry; and 12 WHEREAS, The regulation, management and process by which 13 farmers in the dairy industry are paid for their milk is both a 14 National and a State issue; and 15 WHEREAS, There is a trend for Pennsylvania's dairy farmers to 16 receive increasingly lower prices for their milk; and 17 WHEREAS, The trend has the potential to dramatically affect 18 the viability of Pennsylvania's dairy industry if not addressed;
1 therefore be it 2 RESOLVED (the House of Representatives concurring), That the 3 General Assembly create a task force to be comprised of the 4 chairmen and minority chairmen of the Senate and House 5 Committees on Agriculture and Rural Affairs. In addition, the 6 Majority Leader and the Minority Leader of both the Senate and 7 the House of Representatives may appoint members to the task 8 force. The members of the task force shall choose a chairman 9 from their number; and be it further 10 RESOLVED, That the task force shall conduct a comprehensive 11 study of dairy farmer's milk pricing and shall investigate such 12 pricing as it exists in Pennsylvania, as it is established, 13 regulated and affected by the Federal Government and other 14 factors; and be it further 15 RESOLVED, That the task force may hold hearings, take 16 testimony and make investigations at such times and places as it 17 deems necessary; and be it further 18 RESOLVED, That the task force shall create an advisory 19 committee to assist in the development, collection and study of 20 facts and recommendations concerning the issues involved in the 21 dairy prices received by dairy farmers. The advisory committee 22 shall be composed of representatives from each of the following: 23 (1) Department of Agriculture of the Commonwealth. 24 (2) Milk Marketing Board of the Commonwealth. 25 (3) School of Agriculture Sciences of The Pennsylvania 26 State University. 27 (4) United States Department of Agriculture; 28 and be it further 29 RESOLVED, That the task force may select, as it deems 30 appropriate, other representatives for the Advisory Committee 19970S0022R0589 - 2 -
1 who represent any agriculture organization, commodity or dairy 2 organization, interest group, dairy cooperative, related dairy 3 business or any other interested party; and be it further 4 RESOLVED, That the General Assembly direct the Center for 5 Rural Pennsylvania to provide sufficient staff and other 6 administrative support to assist the task force in performing 7 its comprehensive study and investigation of dairy farmers' milk 8 pricing; and be it further 9 RESOLVED, That the task force prepare a written report 10 containing its findings and recommendations, together with any 11 necessary legislation, and deliver to the General Assembly as 12 soon as possible. A28L82DMS/19970S0022R0589 - 3 -