Leahy: Farm bill includes dairy aid, conservation
Leahy: Farm bill will benefit Vt. dairy farmers, help with conservation
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) -- Vermont's senior U.S. senator says he hopes a farm bill now working its way through Congress will save taxpayer money while continuing assistance for dairy farmers and conservation programs.
Leahy says the farm bill — which the Senate will resume working on after the Memorial Day recess — replaces the existing dairy program with a retooled system focused on avoiding an oversupply of milk.
He says it's hoped that the new approach will smooth out what have been big fluctuations in wholesale milk prices.
Meanwhile, Leahy says the farm bill's conservation programs include new incentives for farmers to address runoff that has been blamed for polluting Lake Champlain and rivers feeding it.