Press Releases

Goodlatte, Scott Urge Farm Bill Conferees to Adopt House Dairy Provisions

Congressmen Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) and David Scott (D-GA) released the following statement after sending a letter to leaders of the Farm Bill Conference Committee reminding them of the House of Representatives’ overwhelming rejection of supply management provisions:

“The House of Representatives’ resounding rejection of supply management provisions in the dairy title of the Farm Bill speaks loud and clear,” said Rep. Bob Goodlatte. “More than 140 diverse groups have joined with 291 House Members, including 95 Democrats, in voicing their opposition to supply management. A supply control program that will directly intervene in markets and increase milk prices will ultimately hurt dairy producers and consumers. As the Conferees continue their work, I urge them to remember the House vote and adopt the House-passed Goodlatte-Scott amendment as part of the final Farm Bill.”

Unfortunately the media is portraying the current dairy policy debate as a struggle solely between Speaker Boehner and Ranking Member Peterson,” said Rep. David Scott. “Nothing could be further from the truth. The overwhelming bipartisan vote count on the Goodlatte-Scott amendment, which passed 291-135 with 95 Democratic votes, was a clear and strong statement of the will of the entire House on this issue. To that end, Farm Bill conferees should honor the House vote and insist on inclusion of the Goodlatte-Scott amendment in the final conference report on the Farm Bill. The Goodlatte-Scott amendment as embodied in the House dairy title of the Farm Bill represents bipartisan compromise that protects dairy farmers as well as restaurants, food processors, grocery stores and most importantly consumers.”

Click here for a PDF version of the letter to leaders of the Farm Bill Conference Committee.
 
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