Release No. 262 -05

Becky Unkenholz (202) 720-8998

becky.unkenholz@usda.gov

WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 8 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced a final rule that permanently adopts amendments to the pooling and transportation credit provisions of the Upper Midwest milk marketing order that were previously implemented on an interim basis. This decision is based on testimony and evidence given at a public hearing held at Bloomington, Minn,, on Aug. 16 –19, 2004.

The adopted amendments allow only supply plants located in the States that comprise the Upper Midwest marketing area to use milk delivered directly from producers’ farms for qualification purposes, eliminate the ability to pool as producer milk diversions to nonpool plants outside of the states that comprise the marketing area, and limit the transportation credit received by handlers to the first 400 miles of applicable milk movements.

A polling of cooperatives conducted in response to the partial final decision issued on Sept. 29, 2005, indicates producer approval of the Upper Midwest order,as amended.

The final rule will be published in the Dec. 9 Federal Register.

For additional information about the decision contact:

Upper Midwest: H. Paul Kyburz, Market-

Administrator

USDA/AMS/Dairy Programs

4570 West 77th Street, Suite 210

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55435-5037

Tel. (952) 831-5292; e-mail: pkyburz@fmma30.com.