Release No. 079-05

Becky Unkenholz (202) 720-8998

Becky.unkenholz@usda.gov

Billy Cox (202) 720-8998

Billy.cox@usda.gov

WASHINGTON, April 11, 2005 – The U. S. Department of Agriculture today announced that it will hold a national public hearing to consider proposals seeking to amend the Class I fluid milk product definition in all Federal milk marketing orders. The hearing will begin at 8:00 a.m. on June 20, 2005, at the Sheraton Station Square Hotel, 300 West Station Square Drive, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15219-1122.

The hearing was requested by Dairy Farmers of America Inc. (DFA), who asked USDA to reconsider which dairy products should be classified as Class I products. DFA contends that many fluid consumable milk products are currently classified as Class II products because of the current formulation standard.

The hearing notice will be published as a proposed rule in the April 12 Federal Register. Copies of the hearing notice may be obtained from the USDA/AMS/Dairy Programs, STOP 0231 - Rm. 2971, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-0231. The hearing notice is available on AMS' Web site at: www.ams.usda.gov/dairy.

The hearing notice and additional information is available 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

P.O. Box 491778, Lawrenceville, GA 30049

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: Robert E. Vander Linden

USDA/AMS/Dairy Programs

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

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

Mideast: David Z. Walker

USDA/AMS/Dairy Programs

P.O. Box 5102, 1325 Industrial Parkway North, Brunswick, OH 44212

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

Pacific Northwest and Arizona-Las Vegas: 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: J. Richard Fleming

USDA/AMS/Dairy Programs

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

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