PA Farm News
March 20, 2008
PA Farm Bureau Praises PMMB’s Decision to Increase Dairy Price
CAMP HILL -- Pennsylvania Farm Bureau (PFB) has commended the Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board (PMMB) for its decision to increase the Class I over-order premium by 80 cents per hundredweight to $2.15 per hundredweight of milk for the nine-month period from April 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008.
“This was a responsible decision by the Milk Marketing Board to address a real cost problem for Pennsylvania dairy farmers. We appreciate the Board’s recognition of the gravity of the problem and their timely response,” said PFB President Carl T. Shaffer.
During testimony before the PMMB earlier this month, PFB Vice President Richard Ebert said an increase in the over-order premium was justified due to declining milk prices and unprecedented cost of production increases.
“The cost to produce milk has skyrocketed over the past year, as dairy farmers incur average cost increases of 50% for feed and fertilizer, 30% increases in seed costs, nearly 100% increase in chemical costs and fuel price increases of nearly 50%,” said Ebert, who is a Westmoreland County dairy farmer and chairman of PFB’s Dairy Committee.
Farm Bureau also applauded PMMB for continuing its support of the over-order premium fuel adjuster. Dairy farmers whose milk is produced, processed and sold in Pennsylvania for Class I use receive an additional premium based on the cost of fuel.
Pennsylvania Farm Bureau is the state’s largest farm organization with a volunteer membership of more than 42,500 farm and rural families, representing farms of every size and commodity across Pennsylvania.
CAMP HILL -- Pennsylvania Farm Bureau (PFB) has commended the Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board (PMMB) for its decision to increase the Class I over-order premium by 80 cents per hundredweight to $2.15 per hundredweight of milk for the nine-month period from April 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008.
“This was a responsible decision by the Milk Marketing Board to address a real cost problem for Pennsylvania dairy farmers. We appreciate the Board’s recognition of the gravity of the problem and their timely response,” said PFB President Carl T. Shaffer.
During testimony before the PMMB earlier this month, PFB Vice President Richard Ebert said an increase in the over-order premium was justified due to declining milk prices and unprecedented cost of production increases.
“The cost to produce milk has skyrocketed over the past year, as dairy farmers incur average cost increases of 50% for feed and fertilizer, 30% increases in seed costs, nearly 100% increase in chemical costs and fuel price increases of nearly 50%,” said Ebert, who is a Westmoreland County dairy farmer and chairman of PFB’s Dairy Committee.
Farm Bureau also applauded PMMB for continuing its support of the over-order premium fuel adjuster. Dairy farmers whose milk is produced, processed and sold in Pennsylvania for Class I use receive an additional premium based on the cost of fuel.
Pennsylvania Farm Bureau is the state’s largest farm organization with a volunteer membership of more than 42,500 farm and rural families, representing farms of every size and commodity across Pennsylvania.
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