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The Idaho Dairymen’s Association (IDA) voted yesterday to lower Idaho’s allowable somatic cell count (SCC) limit to 500,000 cells/ml.

 

The proposal will now have to go through a state legislative hearing process, so the earliest likely enactment would be 2011, says Bob Naerebout, IDA executive director.

 

“There was intense debate over the issue, including lowering the limit even further to 400,000,” he says. “In the end, there was agreement to lower the limit to 500,000.”

 

Essentially all other free market resolutions passed as well, including the rejection of a proposed resolution calling for tariffs on milk protein concentrates (MPC). Some of the concern was that if tariffs are imposed on MPC imports, exporting countries would retaliate with tariffs on U.S. dairy exports.

 

IDA also supports “industry controlled and voluntary industry funded supply-demand management programs. The IDA will oppose all government mandated supply-demand programs that have not received support from a super majority vote by individual producers.”

 

IDA wraps up its annual meeting in Boise today. Idaho is the nation's fourth largest dairy-producing state, pumping out more than 12 billion lb. of milk annually from its 547,000 cows.