[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 76 (Tuesday, May 25, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H3512]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            MILK PRICES IN MINNESOTA SHOULD BE SET BY MARKET

  (Mr. GUTKNECHT asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, shortly after the hammer and sickle came 
down for the last time over the Kremlin, a business publication ran a 
column entitled, ``Markets Are More Powerful Than Armies'' and the 75-
year experiment with government-fixed prices came to an end.
  But, Mr. Speaker, for 60 years we have had a convoluted milk 
marketing order system whereby a farmer's milk is priced based on how 
far they are from Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The closer they are, the less 
they get. It makes no economic sense. Prices are fixed based on what 
the milk goes into and where it comes from.
  Mr. Speaker, if the Russians are willing to let the market set the 
price of milk in Moscow, maybe we should try it in Minnesota.

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