Release No. 107-04

Becky Unkenholz (202) 720-8998

becky.unkenholz@usda.gov

Billy Cox (202) 72-8998

billy.cox@usda.gov

WASHINGTON, June 21, 2004 –– The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced a final rule that makes permanent changes to the Mideast Federal Milk Marketing Order. These changes were previously implemented on an interim basis. Producers of the Mideast milk market approved these amendments.

The amendments adopted: 1) eliminate automatic pool plant status for the 6-month period of March through August, 2) exclude milk shipments to a distributing plant regulated by another federal milk order as pool-qualifying shipments under the Mideast order, 3) eliminate the "split plant" feature which provided for designating a portion of a pool plant as a nonpool plant, provided that the nonpool portion was physically separate and operated separately from the pool side and 4) establish a "net shipments" standard for pool supply plants not operated by a cooperative association.

The final rule also increases the number of days, adjusted seasonally, that the milk of a producer needs to be delivered to a pool plant before being eligible for diversion to nonpool plants and institutes year-round monthly diversion limits.

The final rule will be published in the June 22 Federal Register and will become effective July 1, 2004.

For additional information about the rule contact: Mideast: David Z. Walker, Market Administrator; USDA/AMS/Dairy Programs; 7851 Freeway Circle, Middleburg Heights, OH 44130; Tel. (440) 826-3220; e-mail: dwalker@fmmaclev.com.