PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 589 PRINTER'S NO. 949
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
SENATOR DELP, AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS, AS AMENDED,
APRIL 8, 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 MAJORITY LEADER OF THE SENATE AND THE MAJORITY LEADER OF THE <--
9 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MAY EACH APPOINT TWO MEMBERS TO THE
10 TASK FORCE, AND THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE SENATE AND THE
11 MINORITY LEADER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MAY EACH APPOINT
12 ONE MEMBER TO THE TASK force. The members of the task force
13 shall choose a chairman from their number; and be it further
14 RESOLVED, That the task force shall conduct a comprehensive
15 study of dairy farmer's milk pricing and shall investigate such
16 pricing as it exists in Pennsylvania, as it is established,
17 regulated and affected by the Federal Government and other
18 factors; and be it further
19 RESOLVED, That the task force may hold hearings, take
20 testimony and make investigations at such times and places as it
21 deems necessary; and be it further
22 RESOLVED, That the task force shall create an advisory
23 committee to assist in the development, collection and study of
24 facts and recommendations concerning the issues involved in the
25 dairy prices received by dairy farmers. The advisory committee
26 shall be composed of representatives from each of the following:
27 (1) Department of Agriculture of the Commonwealth.
28 (2) Milk Marketing Board of the Commonwealth.
29 (3) School of Agriculture Sciences of The Pennsylvania
30 State University.
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1 (4) United States Department of Agriculture;
2 and be it further
3 RESOLVED, That the task force may select, as it deems
4 appropriate, other representatives for the Advisory Committee
5 who represent any agriculture organization, commodity or dairy
6 organization, interest group, dairy cooperative, related dairy
7 business or any other interested party; and be it further
8 RESOLVED, That the General Assembly direct the Center for
9 Rural Pennsylvania to provide sufficient staff and other
10 administrative support to assist the task force in performing
11 its comprehensive study and investigation of dairy farmers' milk
12 pricing; and be it further
13 RESOLVED, That the task force prepare a written report
14 containing its findings and recommendations, together with any
15 necessary legislation, and deliver to the General Assembly as
16 soon as possible.
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