Milk From Family Dairies Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- S. 4906
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-24: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-07T04:53:29Z
AI-Generated Summary
Milk From Family Dairies Act of 2026
Purpose
This legislation amends the Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983 to create a Dairy Market Stabilization Program. The program aims to manage milk supply and demand, establish minimum prices for producers, limit overproduction, and support smaller family dairy operations through production quotas, fees, and infrastructure support.
Key Provisions
- Program Establishment: Creates the Dairy Market Stabilization Program with a National Dairy Producer Board and Regional Milk Marketing Order Boards to oversee operations. The Secretary of Agriculture issues orders after public comment and holds a referendum after five years for continuation.
- Production Management: Sets national and regional production bases annually. Allocates allowable milk marketings to producers based on historical data (first year) or adjustments for supply-demand balance (later years). Limits individual allocations to 1,000 percent of the national average.
- Fees and Dividends: Assesses market access fees on milk produced above allowable marketings. Redistributes collected fees as dividends to producers staying within limits. Includes transition rules for large dairies.
- Price Supports: Establishes variable floor prices considering costs of production, market conditions, and herd size. Regional boards may adjust prices based on local factors.
- Import and Trade Measures: Increases dairy import license fees, subjects more products to tariff-rate quotas, and lowers quotas where permitted by trade agreements. Requires quarterly reporting on imported raw milk volumes.
- Reporting and Infrastructure: Mandates annual reports on market consolidation effects. Funds training, grants, and infrastructure for small-scale dairy operations, including expansions to all states and territories.
- Suspension of Other Programs: Suspends Dairy Margin Coverage, Dairy Revenue Protection, and multiple provisions of the Agricultural Act of 1949 while the new program operates.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Replaces existing dairy support mechanisms with a quota-based stabilization system featuring production bases and access fees.
- Suspends parts of the Agricultural Act of 2014 and Federal Crop Insurance Act dairy programs during the new program's operation.
- Expands federal involvement in regional dairy infrastructure through new grant and training programs, with increased funding authorizations.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases responsibilities for the Department of Agriculture in managing production allocations, fee collection, and board oversight. Requires coordination with the Economic Research Service and Comptroller General reviews.
- Citizens: May affect dairy product availability and pricing for consumers through supply controls and import adjustments. Provides targeted support for farmworkers transitioning to ownership.
- International Relations: Could influence trade dynamics by tightening dairy import controls within existing agreements, potentially leading to negotiations on quotas.
Main Stakeholders
- Dairy producers, especially smaller family operations and new entrants.
- Milk handlers and processors.
- Regional and national boards composed of producers, consumers, and industry representatives.
- Consumers of dairy products.
- Noncontiguous states and territories electing to participate.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Establishes prohibitions on monetizing production allocations with penalties including fines and reductions in allocations.
- Includes appeals processes and requirements for transparency in regional boards.
- Authorizes use of Commodity Credit Corporation funds for incentives to reduce large-scale production.
- Contains a sense of Congress on future trade negotiations regarding dairy imports.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-24: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- 2026-06-24: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Milk From Family Dairies Act of 2026 — issued 2026-06-24 — PDF (41 pages)