[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 14, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H1131-H1132]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DAIRY INDUSTRY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, yesterday morning, I had 
the opportunity to attend part of Fulton Bank's 39th annual Agriculture 
Seminar, which is a day-long informational event that draws individuals 
from all over the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The event is free and

[[Page H1132]]

featured numerous speakers, including agriculture economist Andrew 
Frankenfield and other industry experts.
  Mr. Speaker, as the House Committee on Agriculture prepares the next 
farm bill, there has been universal agreement that the dairy industry's 
Margin Protection Program needs to be reformed in advance. To address 
this, we were able to make much-needed changes in last week's 
bipartisan budget deal.
  The final agreement took a number of actions that will revamp the 
program to better serve participating dairy farmers. To help the 
program to be more accurate and responsive during difficult months, 
monthly margined calculations have been changed to bimonthly. To help 
the program better reflect the growth in dairy herd sizes, the new law 
expands the first tier from 4 million to 5 million pounds. The new law 
raises the catastrophic coverage level from $4 per hundred weight to $5 
per hundred weight for the first tier of covered production.
  It also reduces premiums for the first 5 million pounds of 
production, making higher levels of coverage more affordable to provide 
more protection against low margins. Finally, the new law allows for 
the development of insurance policies for livestock producers, 
including for dairy farmers. This change encourages further adequate 
risk management tools are available the next time they are faced with 
disaster.
  Mr. Speaker, the state of the dairy industry is much different today 
than it was when the last farm bill was written. Today we see low milk 
prices that have impacted the dairy industry across the country. The 
House Committee on Agriculture is not only aware of the challenges 
facing the industry, but we are working to help bring relief.
  Another factor negatively impacting the dairy industry is declining 
milk consumption. This not only negatively affects dairy farms and farm 
families across the country but also students and their overall 
nutrition. Despite the fact that public school enrollment was growing, 
schools served 213 million fewer half-pints of milk between 2014 and 
2016. Children over 4 years old are not meeting the recommended daily 
servings of dairy in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

  We know that milk is a nutritional powerhouse. Given the nutritional 
value of milk and because students need to be nourished to be at their 
best, this is a cause for concern. Steadily decreasing participation in 
the School Lunch Program, coupled with the fact that flavored milk, the 
most popular variety in schools, must be fat free under the current 
law, has led to an alarming decline in overall milk consumption.
  We have lost an entire generation of milk drinkers, and they have 
lost out, that generation, on the nourishment and nutrition that comes 
from milk. Providing students the option to consume milk with flavor 
has the potential to positively affect milk consumption trends among 
children and adults, while supporting the local dairy farmers.
  This is why I introduced H.R. 4101, the School Milk Nutrition Act. 
This bill provides the schools the option of offering low-fat, 1 
percent, flavored milk instead of only fat free.
  On November 29, 2017, USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue announced a new 
USDA rule that expands options for milk in school lunches.

                              {time}  1030

  Similar to my legislation, this rule gives schools the option to 
serve low-fat, 1 percent, flavored milk. Thankfully, this rule will be 
in effect for fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2019.
  I look forward to continuing to craft a farm bill that puts forth the 
very best policy for our farmers, our families, and all Americans. I 
know Secretary Perdue supports the legislation, H.R. 4101, moving ahead 
to codify what he has been able to do with what flexibility he has and 
to get that done for our kids and for the dairy industry.

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