Release No. 259-06

Becky Unkenholz (2020 720-8998

becky.unkenholz@usda.gov

Billy Cox (2020 &20-8998

billy.cox@usda.gov

WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct. 30, 2006 - The U. S. Department of Agriculture today announced a final rule to permanently adopt amendments to the pooling provisions of the Central milk marketing order. This decision is based on testimony and evidence given at a public hearing held at Kansas City, Mo., Dec. 6-8, 2004.

The adopted amendments increase supply plant performance standards, amend features of the “touch-base” provision, amend certain features of the “split plant” provision and decrease the diversion limit standards of the order. The decision also adopts a proposal that limits the volume of milk a handler can pool in a month to 125 percent of the total volume of milk pooled in the previous month.

These amendments will assist in identifying the milk of those producers who regularly and consistently service the fluid needs of the market and subsequently have all of their milk pooled and priced under the order.

More than the required number of producers for the Central marketing order

approved the final order amendments which become effective Dec. 1, 2006. The final rule appears in today’s Federal Register.

For additional information about the decision contact:

Robert E. Vander Linden

Market Administrator USDA/AMS/Dairy Programs

P.O. Box 14650

Shawnee Mission, KS 66285-4650

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