BUSH BUDGET PLAN CALLS FOR MILK TAX, CUTS TO MILC PROGRAM
Tuesday, February 7th, 2006 -- 1:44 PM
President Bush has sent Congress a budget that imposes a new tax on dairy farmers and cuts two price support programs.The budget proposal calls for a three cent-tax per hundred pounds of milk. It would total about 720 dollars a year for an average-sized dairy farm and generate 578 (M) million dollars over ten years.
The budget also calls for changes in the way the Department of Agriculture sets dairy support prices, at a savings of 618 (M) million dollars over ten years.
Finally, Bush is proposing a five-percent cut to all crop payments, including the Milk Income Loss Contract program. A National Milk Producers Federation spokesman says none of the proposals is good news for dairy farmers.
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