Dairy producers from several National Milk Producers Federation cooperatives urged Congress to create greater opportunities as they write the next farm bill. The dairy farmers are looking for opportunities to promote environmental stewardship, promote exports, and want Congress to craft farm bill programs that aid dairy farmers of all sizes in all regions. Melvin Medeiros of Laton, California, and Joey Fernandes of Tulare, California, spoke during a listening session held by California Representative Jim Costa. “From water issues, to trade, to sustainability, to providing an adequate safety net for producers of all sizes, the farmers who own our member cooperatives are critical to conversations that affect all of agriculture in the next farm bill and beyond,” says NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern. “We commend our California dairy farmers for sharing their insights and thank Representative Costa for making sure that dairy’s voice gets heard as the next farm bill begins taking shape.”
