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
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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.
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