[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 119 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 119

 To express the sense of the Senate that the Secretary of Agriculture 
   should establish a temporary emergency minimum milk price that is 
equitable to all producers nationwide and that provides price relief to 
                economically distressed milk producers.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 9, 1997

  Mr. Feingold (for himself, Mr. Specter, Mr. Moynihan, Mr. Kohl, Mr. 
  Breaux, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. D'Amato, and Mr. Wellstone) submitted the 
     following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                  Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 To express the sense of the Senate that the Secretary of Agriculture 
   should establish a temporary emergency minimum milk price that is 
equitable to all producers nationwide and that provides price relief to 
                economically distressed milk producers.

Whereas the basic formula price for milk established by the Secretary of 
        Agriculture under Federal milk marketing orders fell to a 6-year low of 
        $10.70 in May 1997 following months of substantial price volatility and 
        remained at similarly low levels throughout the summer of 1997;
Whereas the basic formula price for milk announced for each month since April 
        1997 has been below the cost of producing milk for milk producers in all 
        regions of the United States, as calculated by the Department of 
        Agriculture;
Whereas income losses to milk producers resulting from low milk prices have 
        imposed economic hardship on milk producers in all regions of the United 
        States;
Whereas lost income to milk producers may create economic losses to businesses 
        and result in loss of jobs in rural communities;
Whereas milk producers, rural residents, and agribusinesses in rural areas have 
        petitioned the Secretary of Agriculture to implement an emergency milk 
        price floor to provide price relief to milk producers;
Whereas the Secretary of Agriculture has authority under the Agricultural 
        Adjustment Act (7 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), reenacted with amendments by the 
        Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, to establish minimum 
        prices paid to milk producers covered by Federal milk marketing orders; 
        and
Whereas the Secretary of Agriculture has authority under section 143 of the 
        Agricultural Market Transition Act (7 U.S.C. 7253) to use informal 
        rulemaking to reform Federal milk marketing orders: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that the Secretary of 
Agriculture should immediately use the authority of the Secretary under 
the Agricultural Adjustment Act (7 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), reenacted with 
amendments by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, to 
establish a temporary emergency minimum milk price that--
            (1) is equitable to all producers nationwide; and
            (2) provides price relief to economically distressed milk 
        producers.
                                 <all>