[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11001]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          NATIONAL DAIRY MONTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, although we have recently 
entered into July, I rise today in recognition of National Dairy Month, 
which has taken place every June since 1937.
  As I travel across Pennsylvania and throughout the Pennsylvania Fifth 
Congressional District, I am always inspired by our farmers and our 
farm families. They work hard. They work 7 days a week. Their work is 
arduous, and the challenges of running a farm are never ending.
  Mr. Speaker, farming isn't just a business to these hardworking 
folks; it is the fabric of rural America. The Commonwealth's history is 
rooted in agriculture, and the dairy industry continues to be the 
largest sector of this industry.
  Most, about 99 percent of our dairy farms in Pennsylvania, are 
family-owned and operated, and our average herd size is about 72 head.
  The Commonwealth's robust dairy industry produces 10 billion pounds 
of milk annually, and that number continues to surge. In fact, 
Pennsylvania ranks fifth in the Nation when it comes to dairy 
production.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of National Dairy Month, in 
support of our dairy farmers and farm families, and to also say thank 
you to all of these folks for providing us with food and fiber.

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