Milk Pricing News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

After a dozen weeks of testimony and cross-examination spread over six months, the Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) public hearing concluded on Tuesday, January 30.

USDA has its work cut out for them in formulating proposed changes to bring the right equilibrium back to the federal milk marketing order in balancing dairy producers’ and processors’ wish list of changes as presented over the last seven weeks during the comprehensive FMMO hearing.

USDA plans to start a hearing process Aug. 23 on conflicting proposals from milk producers and dairy processors over changes in the way milk and dairy products are priced under the federal milk marketing order system.

In all of agriculture the method of U.S. milk pricing is unmatched in complexity and inequity. Only expert dairy economists, a few U.S. Department of Agriculture personnel and a handful of industry experts can detail the antiquated rationale of federal milk pricing that has failed to keep pace with the technology, consumption patterns and use of farm milk in today’s economy.  

USDA was petitioned to review the Federal Milk Marketing Order but with a wider scope of issues to examine that can comprehensively address shortfalls in the pricing of milk to reflect producer concerns.