House Advances Bill to Reimburse Milk Farmers
Colleen Quinn of the State House News Service reported on OCT. 15, 2013, “Milk farmers could be reimbursed up to $20,000 from an insurance fund created during the Dukakis administration to protect farmers when dairy processors go out of business.
The Massachusetts House last week gave initial approved to legislation (H 751) that returns nearly half the money in the account to farmers. Approximately $1 million will remain in the fund if the money is returned to nearly 100 small, independent farmers around the state.
Farmers can expect to receive an average of $10,000 to $15,000, according a farmer pushing the legislation.
The fund acted as a self-insurance policy, with the funds held by the state in a trust for the farmers. No state funds were deposited, according to Henry Gillet, a former House lawmaker from Fall River and Westport who now lobbies for the dairy farmers.”
The full story can be read at Wickedlocal.com
