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Dairy groups begin questioning milk pricing proposals
The first day of the USDA’s hearing on the Federal Milk Marketing Order system found one dairy group’s attorney questioning another dairy group’s chief economist about component pricing.
Attorney Steve Rosenbaum for the International Dairy Foods Association asked Peter Vitaliano from the National Milk Producers Federation if farmers in the four non-MCP (Milk Component Price) federal orders would be paid the same as farmers in the other seven federal orders under their component pricing proposal, and Vitaliano confirmed they would. “
Vitaliann testified the NMPF component pricing proposal would be more fair to farmers in the present skim/fat or non-component orders.
The hearing on the Federal Milk Marketing Order system began Wednesday with objections for not considering some Class I proposals by National All Jersey Inc. and the Milk Innovation Group. Vitaliano was the first witness to represent a specific milk pricing proposal after the judge accepted several exhibits into evidence.
