FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 29, 1996
CONTACT: Dana Hagerty 202/225-2165
WASHINGTON, DC -- "The Farm Bill debate the last two days has produced great victories for the Red River Valley and the 7th District. The sugar program remained in the bill and a straight reauthorization of the Conservation Reserve Program for seven years was put in," said Congressman Collin C. Peterson (DFL-7th District)today following the passage of the Farm Bill, which he did vote against. "And while we won on those issues, I could not turn my back on the dairy farmers and the future of that industry.
"Representative Steve Gunderson (R-WI) and I spent two years traveling across the country, talking to dairy farmers about what was needed in order for the industry to survive," Peterson continued. "I am very disappointed that New York, Florida and California Members ignored our nation's dairy farmers and pushed forward a dairy plan that would remove $4 billion from dairy farmer's income. In contrast, the plan that Gunderson and I put together would have increased dairy farmer's income by almost $3.5 billion.
"In Minnesota, we are losing three dairy farms a day, and I don't know how the dairy industry will survive without the dairy reforms that were taken out of the Farm Bill.
"This week, Minnesota dairy farmers came to Washington to talk to Members about how important these reforms were for their livelihoods," Peterson said. "These men and women are not lobbyists -- they are dairy farmers who were trying to see that needed reforms remained in the Farm Bill. Their efforts are to be commended.
"I'm not giving up this fight, and neither are the dairy farmers," Peterson continued. "We have immediately begun working to try to re-introduce into the conference bill the dairy reforms that Minnesota dairy farmers desperately need."