Dairymen press board for hardship relief from QIP quota deductions; public commenters describe heavy assessments

Multiple public commenters urged CDFA and the Milk Producers and Pooling Branch to grant hardship exemptions or to reform the quota (QIP) assessment structure during public comment.

Charlene Viera, who described operating a small dairy in the Central Valley, asked the board for an "immediate and permanent hardship to opt out of the $9,000 a month payment" that she said is deducted from her milk checks and is affecting her ability to purchase land, hire labor and keep the farm operational. "This is unfair, unjust, and unethical," she told the board and said PRB had denied hardship requests in the past.

Jim Viera, who identified himself as a Turlock dairy owner, made similar remarks and said he had applied for hardship relief and been rejected. He referred to a referendum on the program that fell short of the supermajority threshold required to change assessments and urged the board to apply the hardship provisions in the QIP.

Another dairy commenter, Bob Borba, described industry consolidation and said assessments and certificate allocations have increased the program’s divisive impact on smaller dairies. Commenters asked CDFA officials to review QIP administration and to consider claims that current payments exceed the program’s intended scope.

Separately, a commenter representing a consortium of coastal growers and technology developers urged the board to consider regulatory pathways for new biodegradable, species‑specific insect controls and novel biological products that do not fit neatly into existing pesticide registration categories.

Board members did not take immediate action on QIP or hardship requests at the meeting; commenters were encouraged to follow administrative complaint and PRB processes and to provide documentation directly to the board office and department staff.