Becky Unkenholz (202) 720-8998

becky.unkenholz@usda.gov

Billy Cox (202) 720-8998

billy.cox@usda.gov

WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct. 21, 2009 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture today issued a recommended decision to adopt amendments to the producer-handler definition in all Federal milk marketing orders. This decision is based on testimony and evidence given at a public hearing held May 4-19 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The decision recommends that the producer-handler definitions of all Federal milk marketing orders be amended to limit exemption from pooling and pricing provisions of the orders to those producer-handlers with total route disposition of fluid milk products of 3 million pounds or less per month.

Interested persons have 60 days to file comments in response to the recommended decision. You may send your comments by using the Federal eRulemaking portal at http://www.regulations.gov.

The recommended decision is published in today’s Federal Register.

For additional information about the decision contact:

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 91528, Louisville, KY 40291-0528

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

-more-

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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