Federal lawmakers are taking another stab at providing relief for dairy farmers.
A new bill in the US Senate would try to stabilize milk prices by balancing supply and demand. It would set a quarterly production amount and a base price for milk. Farmers who produce too much would pay a fee so the increased supply doesn't drive down prices for others.
A similar bill has been introduced in the House, but lawmakers say it may be hard to push the legislation through.
Some in the dairy industry question whether it's possible to accurately forecast demand.
Dairy farmers throughout the US, including here in our area, have suffered a steep drop in dairy prices.
In April, New York's Department of Agriculture said farmers were getting a little more than $14 for every hundred pounds of milk they sold, but the US Department of Agriculture estimates the average cost for New York farms to produce that milk is about $16. That means farmers are losing money by selling their milk.
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