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GOP AND DEMS LINE UP AGAINST BUSH'S DAIRY PROPOSALS
Wednesday, February 8th, 2006 -- 2:40 pm
Posted by Riley Hebert-News Director
President Bush is not finding a lot of Wisconsin support for the dairy-related portions of his budget proposal. The proposal would implement a three-cent tax per hundredweight of milk. The tax would cost the average-sized dairy farm about $720 a year.
Both Democrat and Republican lawmakers have blasted the idea with Rep. Ron Kind calling the proposal a “double whammy” and an “attack” on Wisconsin farmers. Rep. Mark Green, a Republican candidate for Governor, calls the milk tax a “flat out terrible idea” that he will work to defeat.
Wisconsin Farmers Union President Sue Beitlich says the Bush's proposal to cut $5-billion from a dairy safety net program couldn’t come at a worse time.
"Our prices are skyrocketing," says Sue Beitlich, President of the Wisconsin Farmers Union. "Fertilzer, fuel, energy costs, our health insurance - and our commodity prices are declining quite rapidly now, and we need these safey nets in place."
Beitlich says farmers are in a bind because they can’t pass along rising costs to consumers as most other businesses can.
She says government programs were set up to benefit consumers, "Because we're supposed to be producing an abundant, safe, and affordable food supply. These programs are in place to help us when the prices drop," Beitlich explains.
The Wisconsin Farm Bureau said they were surprised by the proposals as well, but they have confidence Wisconsin’s Congressional delegation will be able to remove the proposals from the budget.
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