CWT Program Starts Herd Buyout Bidding in October

As a result of rapidly declining milk prices, as well as recent increases in both the number of cows in the national herd and overall milk production, the CWT Committee has approved operating plans for the second year of the CWT Program that include a tentative start date for a second herd retirement program on October 1st.

The Committee voted to allocate 80% of this year's funds to the Herd Retirement Program, and 20% to the Export Assistance Program. Those allocations will include the use of the remaining monies left over from the CWT’s first fiscal year of operations, which ended June 30th.

The final decision ratifying both an October 1, 2004 commencement date, and the details for implementation of the Herd Retirement Program, will be made during mid-September.
Meanwhile, the CWT Export Assistance program will continue to receive bids for both cheese and butter at the target price levels of $1.40 per pound and $1.30 per pound, respectively. Nearly four million pounds of cheese has been exported through the CWT program in the past two months.

Interested in learning more about the CWT program?
http://www.cwt.coop/action/action_herd.html

Interested in bidding your herd for the whole herd buyout?
(Bids forms must be completed and postmarked by October 30th, 2004)
http://www.cwt.coop/action/action_bid.html