Senate agriculture committee backs resolution urging changes to federal milk marketing orders to help dairy farmers

The Senate Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development Committee voted to give Resolution 10-19 a do-pass recommendation after witnesses and members discussed federal milk marketing order provisions that dairy producers call burdensome.

The resolution, introduced on behalf of Senator Stubblefield, urges changes to federal milk marketing orders to reduce transportation credits that raise costs for in-state dairy producers when milk prices are adjusted for shipments from other states. Matt King of the Arkansas Farm Bureau told the committee that the proposal would reduce those credits by 20% annually so that, over five years, transportation credits would be eliminated.

Committee members pressed for clarification of lines 3–5 on page two of the resolution, asking specifically what would be accomplished by removing the transportation credit. The sponsor deferred to Farm Bureau witnesses for the technical explanation. Matt King said the change aims to address "the constant challenge for our dairy producers here having to pay for milk coming in from other states" and summarized the phase-out as "reduced by 20% a year. So over a 5 year period, you eliminate those transportation credits."

After brief additional discussion and confirmation that the resolution was intended to address issues raised in earlier legislation sponsored by Senator Stubblefield, the sponsor closed and the committee moved to recommend the resolution for passage. A voice vote was taken and the chair recorded the do-pass recommendation; formal roll-call tallies were not specified on the record.

The committee did not take further floor action on the resolution at the hearing; the do-pass recommendation means the resolution will move to the next procedural step for consideration by the full Senate or committee of jurisdiction.