Western United Dairymen Seek Legislative Relief
Source: Western United Dairymen
The Western United Dairymen board of directors voted Friday to advance a bill in the California legislature that would more closely align the whey value in the California 4b formula with the regulated minimum price for whey found in surrounding states.
The board was addressed at its Friday meeting by five sitting members of the California legislature who pledged their desire to help WUD advance price relief for struggling California dairy families.
“Too many of our dairy families have fallen victim to a milk pricing formula that has failed to capture adequate revenues for producers in the face of extraordinary feed costs,” says Tom Barcellos, WUD president. “We have repeatedly petitioned the CDFA for relief to little avail.
“California dairy families are very concerned about their future and have been voicing those concerns. We’re all agreed on the need for action as soon as possible. The WUD board of directors is committed to finding a solution that works for all of the industry. We find that our avenues to a better cheese price are blocked leading us to a single lane. That single lane leads us to the California legislature.”
Western United Dairymen staff was directed to immediately craft language to effect the change and organize bipartisan support in Sacramento for the legislation. The members addressing the WUD board expressed their concern for California dairy families in light of the extreme economic hardship under which they have been struggling.
