NEWS RELEASE
State Representative Al Juhnke
rep.al.juhnke@house.mn
281 State Office Building, St. Paul, MN 55155
651/296-6206
3951 Horizon Hills Circle, Willmar, MN 56201
320/235-4442
April 9, 2003
JUHNKE INTRODUCES BILLS TO STRENGTHEN FAMILY DAIRY PRODUCTION
Measures would help farmers increase production, quality
Two bills designed to help Minnesota's family dairy producers increase the quantity and quality of milk produced in the state have been introduced today by Rep. Al Juhnke.
The measures - inspired by suggestions from the farm newspaper Agri News - are a workable alternative to the highly controversial plan to repeal the state's ban on foreign farmland ownership. The plan is designed to let foreign-owned corporate dairies enter Minnesota.
"Why should we allow people to turn Minnesota into an economic colony, using our resources and people and shipping the profits out of the country?" Juhnke, of Willmar, asked. "Minnesota's farm policy ought to preserve and protect Minnesota's family farmers."
The two bills would establish:
* An income tax credit for farmers who improve the quality of their herds and milk. The "Quality Milk Credit" of 5 cents per hundredweight of raw milk (about 11 gallons) would be provided to
farmers whose milk has somatic cells counts of less than 150,000 and maintain an average production of 21,000 pounds or more.
* A revolving no-interest loan program to enable family dairy farmers to add up to six cows to their herds. Statewide, that would add about 36,000 cows - roughly the same number that would come in by allowing foreign corporate dairies to enter the state.
"These two initiatives would position Minnesota's dairy producers to take advantage of a rebounding economy and rebounding milk prices," Juhnke said. "It would give our producers a financial shot in the arm and ensure our dairy processors a stronger supply of high-quality milk."
Juhnke compared his proposals to various assistance proposals sought by other industries, such as the airlines or mining companies. "Dairy production and processing employs as many if not more people than either of those troubled industries," he said. "We've lost more than 23,000 family dairy herds in the past 25 years. It's time we recognized the crisis in this industry too."
