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Veto of a Milk Price Support Bill.
January 30, 1976

To the Senate of the United States:

I am withholding my approval from S.J. Res. 121, which would increase the Federal support price for milk and require mandatory quarterly adjustments, for the following reasons:
1. It would saddle taxpayers with additional spending at a time when we are trying to cut the cost of government and curb inflation.
2. It would stimulate excessive production of milk, discourage consumption, force the Federal government to increase purchases of dairy products under the milk support program and build up huge and costly surpluses.
3. It would result in unnecessarily high consumer prices.

Under this bill, government outlays would be increased by $530 million, including $180 million during the 1976-77 marketing year and $350 millionduring the subsequent 1977-78 marketing year. In addition, consumers would be required to pay an estimated $1.38 billion more at retail for dairy products over the next two years.

If S.J. Res. 121 became law, the support level for milk would be set at 85 percent of parity, with adjustments at the beginning of each quarter, through March 31, 1978. This would result in substantial increases in the support level over the next two marketing years without taking into account either changing economic conditions or agricultural policies.

In disapproving similar legislation last January, I said: "To further reduce the demand for milk and dairy products by the increased prices provided in this legislation would be detrimental to the dairy industry. A dairy farmer cannot be well served by Government action that prices his product out of the market." This is still the case.

As far as this Administration is concerned, future changes in the price support level will be based, as in the past, on a thorough review of the entire dairy situation. Major economic factors, including the level of milk production, recent and expected farm prices for milk, the farm cost of producing milk, consumer prices and government price support purchases and budget outlays, will be considered. Elimination of this thorough review by mandating an inflexible support price would be inadvisable.

As you know, present legislation provides the Secretary of Agriculture with sufficient flexibility to increase the level of milk price supports between 75 and 90 percent of parity whenever the conditions indicate that an increase is necessary and advisable. The two increases announced by the Secretary of Agriculture last year—one in January and another in October—should make it clear that this Administration intends to provide the price assurance dairy farmers need.

In this regard, to ensure adequate milk price support levels, I have directed the Secretary of Agriculture to review support prices quarterly, starting April 1. If it appears necessary and advisable to make price support adjustments to ensure the supply of milk, the Secretary of Agriculture will do so.

In vetoing S.J. Res. 121, I urge the Congress to join me in this effort to hold down Federal spending, milk surpluses and consumer prices.

GERALD R. FORD
The White House,
January 30, 1976.

NOTE: The Senate sustained the President’s veto on February 4.