Washington, D.C. – With dairy farmers in Connecticut struggling to get by, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3), chairwoman of the Agriculture - Food and Drug Administration Appropriations Subcommittee, applauded the decision by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to increase the amount paid for dairy products through the Dairy Product Price Support Program (DPPSP), which will increase dairy farmers’ revenue by approximately $243 million. The increases will be in place from August 2009 through October 2009. DeLauro is also a member of the recently revived Congressional Dairy Caucus.

“This announcement by USDA is another positive step in the effort to help dairy farmers, and I am very pleased. With dairy farmers working 100 hours a week and losing money doing it – this additional aid cannot come a day too soon,” said DeLauro.

The increase announced today will raise the price paid for nonfat dry milk from $0.80 per pound to $0.92 per pound, the price paid for cheddar blocks from $1.13 per pound to $1.31 per pound, and the price of cheddar barrels from $1.10 per pound to $1.28 per pound. This increase in the support price will have an immediate effect upon dairy farmers’ bottom line. Temporarily raising the price of these dairy products increases the price that dairy farmers receive for their milk.

“While today’s announcement couples well with the assistance Congress has provided to dairy farmers in recent years and the other steps taken by the Department of agriculture,” DeLauro continued, “we still have to seriously consider additional measures if we are going to provide dairy farmers with the help they need right now. Our dairy farms are a vital part of our economy and our national history and that must continue. ”

Earlier this month DeLauro visited the Greenbacker Dairy Farm in Durham Connecticut to meet with dairy farmers and agriculture specialists to discuss the unprecedented challenges facing the dairy industry, including rapidly declining milk prices that have fallen far below production costs. Dairy farms in Connecticut have been severely effected by price decreases over the years – in 1990, the state had 500 dairy farms; by 2000, the number had declined to 240 dairy farms; and today there are only 151 in the state.

USDA estimates that today’s announcement is expected to increase the all milk price received by dairy producers. The increase will result in the government purchase of an additional 150 million pounds of non-fat dry milk (NDM) and an additional 75 million pounds of cheese.