[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 10572-10573]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          NATIONAL DAIRY MONTH

  Mr. BRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 1368) supporting the goals of National Dairy Month.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1368

       Whereas since 1939, June has been celebrated as National 
     Dairy Month;
       Whereas there are nearly 70,000 dairy farms throughout the 
     United States, and approximately 99 percent of these farms 
     are family owned;
       Whereas the dairy industry in the United States produces 
     more than 170 billion pounds of milk annually and contributes 
     tens of billions of dollars to the economy;
       Whereas dairy products are an important source of calcium 
     and have been long recognized as an integral part of a 
     healthy diet for both children and adults;
       Whereas dairy farmers are significant contributors to 
     efforts to preserve farmland and the rural character of 
     communities across the country; and
       Whereas the dairy industry has faced significant challenges 
     recently due to high production costs and low retail prices, 
     which has forced many farms to close: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the goals of National Dairy Month;
       (2) encourages States and local governments to observe 
     National Dairy Month with appropriate activities and events 
     that promote the dairy industry;
       (3) recognizes the important role that the dairy industry 
     has played in the economic and nutritional well-being of 
     Americans;
       (4) commends dairy farmers for their continued hard work 
     and commitment to the United States economy and to the 
     preservation of open space; and
       (5) encourages all Americans to show their continued 
     support for the dairy industry and dairy farmers.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Alabama (Mr. Bright) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Neugebauer) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alabama.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on 
H. Res. 1368.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Alabama?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  The resolution we are considering today supports the goals of 
National Dairy Month, recognizes the importance of our dairy industry 
and commends dairy farmers for their continued hard work. Our Nation's 
57,000 dairy farms provide healthy, nutritious milk and dairy products 
to families across the country. The products produced by our Nation's 
dairy farmers provide the nutrients necessary to support a healthy 
lifestyle and ensure our children and grandchildren grow healthy and 
strong.
  The U.S. dairy industry produces 189 billion pounds of milk annually 
and contributes tens of billions of dollars to our economy. The House 
Agriculture Committee has recently held farm bill hearings across the 
country where Members have had the opportunity to hear from our 
Nation's dairy producers. Like too many in our Nation, dairy farmers 
are facing difficult times. Production costs remain high, but retail 
prices are low, and the credit farmers need to stay in business is 
difficult to find.
  As we begin the process of writing a new farm bill, I am hopeful that 
we can work with our Nation's dairy farmers to develop new policies 
that will provide a better safety net that will ensure they can 
continue to meet our dairy needs and play a vital role in our Nation's 
economy. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this resolution today to 
support the goals of National Dairy Month.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1368, 
supporting the goals of National Dairy Month, and I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, for more than 70 years, we have celebrated the month of 
June as National Dairy Month. Today it is particularly important to 
recognize the efforts of the hardworking men and women in the dairy 
industry.
  The 19th Congressional District is one of the fastest growing dairy 
regions in the Nation, but many dairy producers from west Texas and the 
big country are concerned about low milk prices and rising production 
costs that are making it difficult for these operations to survive.
  Dairy products, like milk, cheese and ice cream, contain essential 
nutrients, including calcium, and potassium. These products may help to 
reduce your risk for high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and certain 
cancers. National Dairy Month is a great opportunity to get together 
with friends and family and celebrate an industry that provides 
nutritional value to our lives and is an important part of many local 
economies.
  I want to take a moment to acknowledge the efforts that are underway 
within the National Milk Producers Federation. They are working to 
develop policy proposals to address the current crisis that have 
affected the profitability of nearly every dairy farm in this country. 
While I may not agree with each of their policy recommendations, I do 
appreciate the forward thinking and innovative approach that they are 
taking.
  However, despite these efforts, it is likely that whatever we do to 
``fix'' the dairy policy will be negatively offset as a result of other 
policies advocated by this administration and the Democratic leadership 
in Congress. Whether we are talking about the cap-and-tax bill or the 
growing list of regulatory proposals being advanced at the EPA and 
other Federal agencies, there

[[Page 10573]]

doesn't seem to be any limit on the costs this administration is 
willing to impose on big businesses or small businesses around this 
country. We need to empower businesses large and small to create jobs 
and have long-term profitability instead of burdening them with new 
regulations and taxes that prevent long-term business planning.
  As we celebrate the accomplishments of America's dairy industry this 
month, I am hopeful that my colleagues will agree that in order to 
sustain the long-term profitability of this or any other agricultural 
enterprise steps need to be taken to curb the efforts by this 
administration and the Democratic leadership that threaten our 
industry, our economy and our prosperity. I urge my colleagues to 
support this resolution.
  Mr. SPACE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1368, 
Supporting the Goals of National Dairy Month. This resolution 
recognizes and honors America's dairy farmers who serve as a critical 
component of our economy--especially throughout my district in 
Southeastern and East Central Ohio. I commend Chairman Peterson and 
Ranking Member Lucas for their attention to this major and important 
industry in our country.
  In recent years, our dairy farmers have struggled as the result of an 
economic downturn and price fluctuations in the market, and this is a 
problem that I have been working to address. To protect our farmers, we 
absolutely need to do everything we can to bring more stability to this 
crucial industry. In my District, dairy farmers are a keystone of our 
economy, and this Resolution highlights the need to recognize them as 
an industry that needs our assistance.
  In rural Ohio--and rural America as a whole--the agricultural 
industry is a backbone of our culture, our society, and our economy; as 
such, we need to ensure that our local dairy farms are protected. I am 
proud to be a cosponsor of this Resolution that honors such an 
important element of our food supply and our economy.
  Again, I wish to thank the Chairman and Ranking Member for their work 
on this legislation. I also want to thank Congressmen Courtney for his 
introduction of the Resolution.
  Mr. NUNES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Dairy 
Month and the hard working men and women who are involved in this great 
industry. As I grew up on a dairy farm, I have a very keen appreciation 
for those who work the extremely hard and long hours needed to produce 
milk products. The dairy industry is vital to the United States economy 
and an integral part of the economies of California and its 21st 
Congressional District, which I am privileged to represent.
  In California alone, dairy is a $47 billion industry employing over 
400,000 people. The state is responsible for 21.3 percent of the U.S. 
milk supply, with my hometown of Tulare County leading the nation in 
milk production. In fact, it represents 5.3 percent of total U.S. 
production and generates $1.69 billion in sales according to the 2007 
Census of Agriculture. Together with Fresno Country, which I also 
represent, these two counties account for over 33.7 percent of 
California's milk production and generated just under 7 billion pounds 
of milk in the first six months of 2009.
  The dairy industry has long played a crucial role in the economic and 
nutritional well-being of all Americans. My constituents are innovative 
agriculturists who are constantly looking for ways to further the 
growth and success of the industry. Moreover, the United States dairy 
industry is instrumental to the preservation of farmland and forms the 
backbone of many rural communities. Thus, I encourage my colleagues and 
all Americans to show their continued support for the dairy industry.
  Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this 
resolution to support the goals of National Dairy Month. For more than 
70 years now, we have been celebrating the importance of the dairy 
industry to our nation's health, economy, and national security.
  If you were to come visit my home state of Wisconsin and travel 
through my congressional district, you would quickly understand why 
Wisconsin is called ``America's Dairyland.'' Fields of corn, wheat, and 
straw are spotted with the large red barns, silos, and grazing cattle 
that have become the iconic images of dairy farming. It's not uncommon 
to learn that a family has been dairy farming for generations and that 
they hope their children will be able to carry on this tradition and 
way of life.
  If you stop by one of those farms today, you'll hear firsthand just 
how difficult times are. Over the past couple of years, milk prices 
have been too low while the cost of feed and other inputs was too high. 
Our farmers today are really stretched thin, having drawn down so much 
equity in recent times that they're not sure that they'll earn enough 
to pay off their debts.
  More families have been forced to close down their operations, rent 
out their land, and find another line of work. Not only are these 
people losing a way of life and imperiling our long-term ability to 
lead the world in agricultural production, we are also seeing local 
communities struggling to deal with a major shift in their economies.
  This dairy crisis has demonstrated that our confusing and outdated 
subsidies and price supports simply don't provide the level of risk 
management that our farmers need. Major stakeholders in the dairy 
industry have united to put forward serious, creative proposals to 
reform our subsidy programs. We have an opportunity here to not only 
provide a strong safety net for our dairy farmers, but also to lead the 
way in reforming our commodity support programs.
  While National Dairy Month is a great opportunity for families all 
across our country to remember the nutritious value of dairy products 
as a major source of vitamins and minerals, we cannot forget how 
difficult times are for our dairy farmers. Over the months and years to 
come, I look forward to working with my colleagues on a bipartisan 
basis to provide a workable safety net to our farmers, while supporting 
local foods and sustainable agricultural practices.
  Mr. NEUGEBAUER. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bright) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1368.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. BRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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