06/19/06 CWT exec meets with Idaho dairymen

Walt Wosje came to Idaho to seek continued support for CWT, Cooperatives Working Together. While Idaho doesn't have a lot of co-ops it does have hundreds of independent producers who supported the three tied program that is aimed to boosting milk prices. Wosje met with producers last Thursday and Friday seeking their support for a new ten cent per hundredweight assessment. Originally CWT sought a 17 cent assessment in 2003, but settled for five cents and that in turn paid for the herd retirement, milk reduction and export assistance programs. WOSJE "Milk prices really took off, came to almost record highs in 2004 and I'm certainly not here to tell you that's all because of CWT." CWT now has commitments for 80 percent of the milk produced in Idaho and Wosje hopes to see support continue at the higher assessment. The bottom line, he says, is that dairymen will determine what happens next. WOSJE "Its something where they've done it themselves, they've funding it themselves, they're run it themselves, the consequences are their own, it's not a government program, there's no tax dollars involved." The new assessment and signups are scheduled begin on July first. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott