**ACTION ALERT**

TO ALL CDC MEMBERS

CALL MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TODAY!

Members of Congress will be back in their districts during the month of August meeting with constituents. It is critical that CDC members meet with their federal lawmakers to call for comprehensive dairy policy reforms including: the establishment of a nationwide inventory management program, an effective dairy price safety net that incorporates the dairy producer’s cost of production, reform of the dairy pricing system to make it more competitive and transparent, and the implementation of effective tariffs on imports of concentrated dairy solids.

CDC supports the “Dairy Price Stabilization Act” introduced by Rep. Jim Costa, D-Calif., in the U.S. House and Senators Bernie Sanders and Patrick Leahy, of Vermont, in the Senate. The legislation, H.R. 5288 and S. 3531, would establish a nationwide inventory management program that would provide incentives to producers to balance milk supply and market demand. An effective dairy safety net based on cost of production is critical to prevent another dairy crisis. CDC testified before the USDA and DOJ calling for reform of the dairy pricing system. It is critical that members of Congress urge DOJ to act immediately to restore competition in dairy markets. CDC strongly supports the Milk Import Tariff Equity Act (MITEA), S 1542 and HR 3674, to apply effective tariffs to dairy imports and the bill currently has no cosponsors from California.

DISTRICT OFFICE CONTACT INFORMATION:

REPRESENTATIVE DENNIS CARDOZA, D-18             Phone: 209-527-1914

Cities include Merced, Modesto, Stockton   

REPRESENTATIVE JIM COSTA, D-20                           Phone: 559-495-1620                    

Cities include Fresno, Bakersfield                      

REPRESENTATIVE DEVIN NUNES, R-21                      Phone: 559-733-3861         

Cities include Visalia and Clovis             

REPRESENTATIVE KEVIN MCCARTHY, R-22             Phone: 202-225-2915

Cities include Bakersfield and Atascadero

Senator Boxer Phone: 559-497-5109       Senator Feinstein Phone: 559-485-7430

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) unveiled a 40-page dairy proposal earlier this summer. CDC commends NMPF for recognizing the need for comprehensive dairy policy reform, but after careful analysis has concluded that the NMPF plan is in need of substantial improvement.

Other interests including NMPF are lining up to let their views be known about federal dairy policy and it is critical that lawmakers hear directly from dairy producers. The message that lawmakers hear back home in August will decide what type of action they take on dairy policy for the rest of 2010 and beyond.