Release No. 062-09

Becky Unkenholz (202) 720-8998

Becky.unkenholz@usda.gov

Billy Cox (202) 720-8998

Billy.cox@usda.gov

Washington, D.C., April 7, 2009 – The U. S. Department of Agriculture today announced that it will hold a national public hearing to consider proposals seeking to amend or remove the producer-handler provisions and revise the exempt plant provisions applicable to all Federal milk marketing orders. The hearing will begin at 1 p.m. on May 4, 2009, at The Westin - Cincinnati, 21 East Fifth Street, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45202.

USDA will also consider a proposal seeking to amend the orders to include provisions related to individual handler pools as an alternative to the producer-handler provisions.

The National Milk Producers Federation and the International Dairy Foods Association submitted initial proposals. USDA requested additional proposals from the industry that would examine all features of the producer-handler and exempt plant provisions. USDA received proposals from dairy farmers, producer-handlers, dairy farmer cooperatives, and fluid milk processors.

Anyone interested in participating in the hearing should notify a USDA official upon arrival. The hearing notice will be published in the April 9 Federal Register. Copies of the hearing notice and additional information are available from USDA/AMS/Dairy Programs, STOP 0231 - Rm. 2971, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-0231, from the AMS web site: at www.ams.usda.gov/dairy, or from the following market administrator offices:.

Northeast: Erik F. Rasmussen

USDA/AMS/Dairy Programs

P.O. Box 51478, Boston, MA 02205-1478

Tel. (617) 737-7199; email: erasmussen@fedmilk1.com

Appalachian: Harold H. Friedly, Jr.

USDA/AMS/Dairy Programs

P.O. Box 18030, Louisville, KY 40261-0030

Tel. (502) 499-0040; email: friedly@malouisville.com

Florida and Southeast: Sue L. Mosley

USDA/AMS/Dairy Programs

1550 North Brown Road, Suite 120, Lawrenceville, GA 30043

Tel. (770) 682-2501; email: smosley@fmmatlanta.com

Upper Midwest: H. Paul Kyburz

USDA/AMS/Dairy Programs

Suite 210, 4570 West 77th St., Minneapolis, MN 55435-5037

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

Central: David C. Stukenberg

USDA/AMS/Dairy Programs

P.O. Box 14650, Shawnee Mission, KS 66285-4650

Tel. (913) 495-9300; email: david.stukenberg@fmmacentral.com

Mideast: David Z. Walker

USDA/AMS/Dairy Programs

P.O. Box 5102, Brunswick, OH 44212

Tel. (330) 225-4758; email: dwalker@fmmaclev.com

Pacific Northwest and Arizona: James R. Daugherty

USDA/AMS/Dairy Programs

1930-220th St., SE., Suite 102 Bothell, WA 98021-8471

Tel. (425) 487-6009; email: jdaugherty@fmmaseattle.com

Southwest: Cary Hunter

USDA/AMS/Dairy Programs

P.O. Box 110939, Carrollton, TX 75011-0939

Tel. (972) 245-6060; email: sw.order@dallasma.com

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