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My husband and I operate a family farm in Wyoming County. Recently I was in Congressman Fred Keller's office for assistance and found his staff to be very helpful. As so, I was also pleased when I received a copy of the Wyoming County Examiner which serves our area to see on the editorial page an article written by congressman Fred Keller entitled "Let them Drink Milk." The editorial explained the "Give Milk Act" he has introduced in Congress.
This bill, if it becomes law, will allow nutritional assistance recipients in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) to add whole milk to the program. It is very good that our local congressman is addressing the fact that whole milk is not being offered in the WIC program.
Congressman Keller's proposal parallels Congressman G.T. Thompson's dairy bill that would allow whole milk back into the school lunch program. Congressman Keller has also signed onto Thompson's bill.
Pro Ag has been screaming for several years about no fat, or low-fat milk replacing whole milk in the school lunch program.
Arden Tewksbury, Manager of Pro Ag, has reported several times that our present secretary of agriculture, Sonny Perdue, testified twice that obesity in our children has gotten worse since whole milk has been removed from our school milk program. At a hearing in Washington, Tewksbury witnessed Tom Vilsack, secretary of agriculture from 2009 to 2017 testifying that he had the authority to determine what goes in the school lunch program. We've had Tom Vilsack as secretary for eight year and we've had Sonny Perdue for four years, and neither one has stepped up to do the right thing for our children.
Congressman Keller's article elaborated on the value of whole milk. It is obvious that neither secretary of agricultures has been listening to the right people.
It is important that everyone support both Thompson's and Keller's two dairy bills.
My organization has been leading the rally cry for whole milk for six years. I urge everyone to support our efforts regarding whole milk. Let's not forget the efforts of Pro Ag to have the Federal Milk Marketing Improvement Act reintroduced which would price milk to our dairy farmers based on the national cost of production. I urge all politicians, consumers, and dairy farmers to get behind Thompson's and Keller's bill and get behind our new pricing formula.
ANNETTE KUZMA
Dairy farmer and member of Pro Ag board of directors
Tunkhannock
Submitted via email