PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 589, 949 PRINTER'S NO. 1025
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, MUSTO, STOUT,
LEMMOND, RHOADES, SLOCUM AND ROBBINS, FEBRUARY 28, 1997
AMENDED, APRIL 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 of the Senate and the Majority Leader of the
7 House of Representatives may each appoint two members to the
8 task force, and the Minority Leader of the Senate and the
9 Minority Leader of the House of Representatives may each appoint
10 one member to the task force. The members of the task force
11 shall choose a chairman from their number; and be it further
12 RESOLVED, That the task force shall conduct a comprehensive
13 study of dairy farmer's milk pricing and shall investigate such
14 pricing as it exists in Pennsylvania, as it is established,
15 regulated and affected by the Federal Government and other
16 factors; and be it further
17 RESOLVED, That the task force may hold hearings, take
18 testimony and make investigations at such times and places as it
19 deems necessary; and be it further
20 RESOLVED, That the task force shall create an advisory
21 committee to assist in the development, collection and study of
22 facts and recommendations concerning the issues involved in the
23 dairy prices received by dairy farmers. The advisory committee
24 shall be composed of representatives from each of the following:
25 (1) Department of Agriculture of the Commonwealth.
26 (2) Milk Marketing Board of the Commonwealth.
27 (3) School of Agriculture Sciences of The Pennsylvania
28 State University.
29 (4) United States Department of Agriculture;
30 and be it further
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1 RESOLVED, That the task force may select, as it deems
2 appropriate, other representatives for the Advisory Committee
3 who represent any agriculture organization, commodity or dairy
4 organization, interest group, dairy cooperative, related dairy
5 business or any other interested party; and be it further
6 RESOLVED, That the General Assembly direct the Center for
7 Rural Pennsylvania to provide sufficient staff and other
8 administrative support to assist the task force in performing
9 its comprehensive study and investigation of dairy farmers' milk
10 pricing; and be it further
11 RESOLVED, That the task force prepare a written report
12 containing its findings and recommendations, together with any <--
13 necessary legislation, and deliver to the General Assembly as
14 soon as possible BUT NOT LATER THAN DECEMBER 31, 1997. <--
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