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National Farmers Union asks for competition title, growth management

The National Farmers Union says a competition title in the next farm bill could ensure farmers of all commodities receive a fair price.

Lynne McBride is the executive director of the California Farmers Union and California Dairy Campaign.

“All farmers face the same challenge, which is they buy from a consolidated, concentrated market all of their farm inputs, and they sell into that same concentrated, consolidated market,” she says.

During this week’s farm bill listening session, McBride shared support for local and regional food systems, the reinstatement of country-of-origin labeling, strengthening of the Packers and Stockyard Act, and cattle price discovery.

McBride says a nationwide dairy growth management plan could improve and stabilize milk price volatility, “Which has led to more than 11,000 dairies going out of business since 2014.”

She says her group is also supportive of making California’s alternative manure management program a federal program.