HARRISBURG, Pa. — Agriculture officials in Pennsylvania, New York and Vermont have renewed a partnership to develop a vision and promote profitability in the Northeast region.
Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff, New York Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker and Vermont Agriculture Secretary Roger Albee signed the agreement during a Northeast Dairy Leadership Team meeting Jan. 17-18 in Oneonta, N.Y.
Animal well-being
The leadership team also voted to support the National Dairy Animal Well Being Initiative, creating a national umbrella to allow dairy producers formally to document they are meeting dairy animal care and well-being standards.
As a result of the decision, the leadership team will identify qualifying programs and avenues for implementation of the initiative across Pennsylvania, New York and Vermont.
The meeting also included a discussion about the impact of rbST-free milk labeling on the Northeast dairy market. The group worked to identify how the dairy industry can continue to protect other commonly-used technologies, ensuring producers the freedom to operate and providing access to growing markets for wholesalers and retailers.
Discussions about raw milk sales in the region, a tristate milk quality initiative, risk management tools for dairy producers and concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) regulations and policies were also part of the two-day meeting.
Further information
For more information, visit the Northeast Dairy Leadership Team.
In New York, contact Mark Kenville at 315-453-3823. In Vermont, contact Diane Bothfeld at 802-828-3835. In Pennsylvania, contact John Frey at 717-346-0849.
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