PRINTER'S NO. 368
No. 45 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY BUNT, LLOYD, CAWLEY, KREBS, DeLUCA, STABACK, ARGALL, WAUGH, GEORGE, FARGO, SAYLOR, GEIST, HERSHEY, STAIRS, HALUSKA, FICHTER, FAIRCHILD, SATHER, GODSHALL, CLARK, REBER, PESCI, CARONE, FEESE, CLYMER, ALLEN, MAJOR, BAKER, MIHALICH, MAITLAND, YOUNGBLOOD, GRUITZA, HERMAN, LYNCH, TRELLO, DALLY, TANGRETTI AND SURRA, FEBRUARY 10, 1997
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, FEBRUARY 10, 1997
A RESOLUTION 1 Requesting the United States Department of Agriculture to 2 initiate action to ensure a more stable and predictable Basic 3 Formula Price. 4 WHEREAS, The dairy industry in Pennsylvania represents the 5 largest segment of the agricultural economy, with 10,800 dairy 6 farms and over 640,000 cows producing over 10.6 billion pounds 7 of milk annually; and 8 WHEREAS, Sales of milk from Pennsylvania farms generate 9 nearly $1.5 billion in farm income; and 10 WHEREAS, The price Pennsylvania farmers receive for milk is 11 largely determined by United States Department of Agriculture 12 calculations of the Basic Formula Price; and 13 WHEREAS, In recent months the price of milk received by 14 farmers, based on this formula, has been extremely volatile, 15 culminating in an unprecedented drop of more than $4 dollars 16 per hundredweight in a period of four months; and
1 WHEREAS, These low and extremely unstable prices for milk are 2 severely detrimental to the ability of Pennsylvania dairy 3 farmers to maintain their profitability; and 4 WHEREAS, This has serious consequences for the future of 5 Pennsylvania's dairy industry and jeopardizes not only dairy 6 farmers but a multitude of support and marketing entities, as 7 well; therefore be it 8 RESOLVED, That the General Assembly request that the United 9 States Department of Agriculture immediately initiate all action 10 necessary to ensure a more stable and predictable Basic Formula 11 Price which more accurately reflects market conditions and 12 further request that such actions include a review of the 13 advisability of use of the National Cheese Exchange price in the 14 Basic Formula Price calculations; and be it further 15 RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be immediately 16 transmitted to the United States Secretary of Agriculture. B6L82JS/19970H0045R0368 - 2 -