Dear Chairman Peterson:
On behalf of RetireSafe’s almost 400,000 senior citizen supporters nationwide, I urge you to oppose any amendment that would force national adoption of California's standards for fluid milk. Such a move would hurt low income seniors by raising the price of milk and increasing the cost of elderly food assistance programs.
RetireSafe took a poll of milk prices at supermarkets in the districts of the Agriculture Committee Members, and found that the average price of 1% low fat milk is $3.57 per gallon. If an amendment to impose California's standards were adopted, it is estimated that the price of milk will increase to $4.03, or an 11% increase in these districts.
An amendment was offered by Representative Costa at subcommittee that would require milk across the nation to adopt the same nonfat solids standards as California, where low fat milk is thickened with added solids. California should not force their milk standards on the rest of the country, and raise the price of milk in the process.
RetireSafe is an organization that wants to protect the benefits of all retired people, many of whom are on fixed or limited incomes. Milk and dairy products are a critical part of the elderly diet. Studies have shown that milk consumption per capita is lower in California compared to the rest of the country. California's milk standards do not promote milk consumption - they contribute to declining milk consumption through higher prices.
Many low-income retired seniors depend on elderly food and nutrition programs to supplement their diet. This amendment would raise the cost of those programs. For example, it would increase the cost of the Elderly Nutrition Program by an estimated $3.8 million and the Child and Adult Care Food Program by $29 million. With federal budget deficits and limited funding for these nutrition programs, these higher milk costs mean that fewer seniors will be served.
Making milk more expensive and imposing one state's standards on everyone is a bad idea for all retired people, and consumers everywhere. Please see the attached summary of milk prices that include the higher costs in your district if this amendment were adopted. We urgently request that you oppose this amendment to raise milk prices in the 2007 Farm Bill.
Sincerely,
Michelle Plasari
President
RetireSafe
