Yesterday, Rep. Thomas Rooney, Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry held an audit hearing to examine USDA dairy programs. This hearing was designed to provide oversight of current spending to ensure programs are delivered effectively.Members of the Subcommittee heard testimony about how the current dairy programs are working, current conditions and productivity in the dairy industry, and possible policy challenges moving forward.
Chairman Thomas Rooney stated in a press release, "The events of 2009 exposed what many have long-held to be an inadequacy of some of our current dairy programs. While some observers may argue that additional funding may improve the overall effectiveness of our dairy safety net, our current budgetary outlook makes this option a non-starter. Innovative and effective ideas are needed in order to ensure that our programs support our producers, facilitate product and market development, and continue to ensure the availability of safe, abundant, and affordable products for our consumers. Today's hearing provided our Subcommittee with an important perspective about the strengths and weaknesses of our existing programs."
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Posted 9/9/2011
