Release No.027 -05

Becky Unkenholz (202) 720-8998

becky.unkenholz@usda.gov

Washington, D.C., Feb. 17 , 2005 – The U. S. Department of Agriculture today announced a public hearing to consider proposals to amend the Mideast Federal milk marketing order. The hearing will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, March 7, 2005, at the Shisler Conference Center, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, 1625 Wilson Road, Wooster, Ohio 44691.

The hearing will consider proposals that would: eliminate the ability of the same milk to be simultaneously pooled on the Mideast order and on a state-operated order with marketwide pooling; modify supply plant performance standards and diversion limits; modify the number of days a dairy farmer’s milk production must be delivered to a pool plant for the milk of the dairy farmer to be eligible for diversion; limit the pooling of milk that was not pooled in prior months; establish a “dairy farmer for other markets” provision; establish a transportation credits provision; and amend the producer-handler definition.

The hearing notice was published as a proposed rule in today’s Federal Register.Copies of the hearing notice may be obtained from the USDA/AMS/Dairy Programs, STOP 0231 - Rm. 2971, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-0231. The hearing notice is available on AMS' web site, at: www.ams.usda.gov/dairy.

The hearing notice and information about the hearing is available from the market administrator office, as follows:

David Z. Walker

USDA/AMS/Dairy Programs

P.O. Box 5102

1325 Industrial Parkway North

Brunswick, Ohio 44212

Tel. (330) 225.4758; email: dwalker@fmmaclev.com