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Michigan Farm Bureau outlines next dairy policy steps

Michigan Farm Bureau delegates have finalized recommendations to improve dairy pricing formulas and transparency.

Senior Industry Relations Specialist Ernie Birchmeier tells Brownfield he feels positive consensus is forming across the industry.

“You’ve got dairy farmers from around the country that have come together to discuss critical issues to their industry, that have developed recommendations and it appears a majority of the dairy industry agrees upon,” he says.

Birchmeier says previous resolutions crafted in Michigan led to a national dairy working group and the recent American Farm Bureau Federation Federal Milk Marketing Order Forum focused on finding milk pricing solutions.

It is still unclear if changes will be resolved through the next farm bill or the Federal Milk Marketing Order system.

“The speed of government does not always work when dealing with the speed of agriculture,” he says.  “Either way, regardless of how it’s handled, we need to make sure that the farmer’s voice is heard and that the changes that are made represent what is needed at the farm level.”

Birchmeier also stresses the success of dairy farmer members is their top concern.

“If the dairy farmer doesn’t survive, the rest of the industry doesn’t survive as well,” he says.

Michigan Farm Bureau delegates adopted resolutions including calling for a return to the higher of Class III and Class IV milk pricing formula, evaluation of the Class I mover, changes to federal order voting procedures, and more transparency from cooperatives on the process among other requests.