News From…

Congressman Dennis Cardoza
18th Congressional District of California

USDA announces first exports under

dairy incentive program
 

 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 10, 2009		 CONTACT:  Mike Jensen
(202) 225-6131

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Cardoza announced today that the US Department of Agriculture has accepted the first bid for the recently activated Dairy Export Incentive Program.

The DEIP program was activated in May with the Congressman’s strong support and following several conversations with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. It removes surplus dairy products from the national supply by subsidizing dairy exports. The program is expected to help dairy operators who have struggled with increased operating costs in recent months.

The USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation today accepted four nonfat dry milk bids for export to Asia and the former Soviet Union. The award totaled 6,550 metric tons of nonfat dry milk.


“I am pleased to see this program is now beginning to be implemented,” said Congressman Cardoza, who chairs the subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture. “I will continue to provide all the support I can to our Valley agriculture interests.”


In the past year, dairy operators in the San Joaquin Valley have been hard hit by falling milk prices and escalating operating costs.  Many had specifically requested that the USDA activate the far-reaching DEIP.

###

                         Press Release List            Press Release