The U.S. Department of Agriculture is amending the National Dairy Promotion and Research Order (Dairy Order) to modify the number of National Dairy Promotion and Research Board (Dairy Board) importer members. The total number of domestic Dairy Board members remains the same at 36 and the total number of importer members is reduced from 2 members to 1 member.
The Dairy Order requires that at least once every three years, after the initial appointment of importer members on the Dairy Board, the Secretary shall review the average volume of domestic production of dairy products compared to the average volume of imports of dairy products into the United States during the previous three years and, on the basis of that review, if warranted, reapportion the importer representation on the Dairy Board to reflect the proportional shares of the United States market served by domestic production and imported dairy products. The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a proposed rule on April 1, 2016, asking for comments on the amendment.
The Dairy Board was established under the Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983, as amended, to develop and administer a coordinated program of promotion, research, and nutrition education. The 37-member Dairy Board is authorized to design programs to strengthen the dairy industry’s position in domestic and foreign markets. The program is financed by a mandatory 15-cent per hundredweight assessment on all milk marketed commercially and a 7.5-cent per hundredweight assessment on milk, or equivalent thereof, on dairy products imported into the United States.
The Final Rule is published in the August 12, 2016, Federal Register. Copies of the Final Rule may be obtained from USDA, AMS, Dairy Program, Room 2958-S, Washington, DC 202250-0233, USA from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Final Rule is also available on www.regulations.gov.