The August meeting was held in Mystic, Connecticut, and included presentations by Congressman Robert Simmons (attachment 60), Lieutenant Governor M. Jodi Rell (attachment 54), State Senator Cathy Cook (attachment 54) and State Representative John Mordasky (attachment 54). Mark Winne of the Hartford Food System (attachment 61), Tim Slate, equipment dealer representative (attachment 64) , and Melissa Greenbacker (attachment 65), a 27-year-old dairy farmer, also addressed the Commission.
Mr. Winne gave a detailed report indicating his belief that the price regulation was having a pronounced positive benefit for the long-term benefits of consumers.
I do think it’s incumbent upon us: consumer advocates, commissioners, dairy commissioners, dairy farmers and others to try to educate the consumer and the general public about the issues of dairy pricing, of the Compact and more importantly of the future of agriculture and why we need to take special economic measures to ensure its viability in the future… you can count on the support of organizations like the Hartford Food System, the Working Lands Alliance, End Hunger Connecticut. We’re going to be working with others around the state of Connecticut to make sure that our policy makers know of our support, the consumers’ support and in particular the low-income consumer support for the Dairy Compact. (Attachment 61 6t and 6u)
As in Maine and reflecting the substantial importance of dairying in certain parts of rural Connecticut, the Commission heard from farmers and from representatives of the businesses that provide services to farmers. Melissa Greenbacker, a young woman newly returned from New York to help run her family farm said,
The Compact will allow my family to stay in business and make a profit. I don’t mean a big profit, but I do need to eat and live and wear boots to work. We do need the Compact… the Compact gives me hope, and I am enthusiastic about the future (Attachment 65).
On the service side, it was noted in succinct fashion that “There’ve
been a lot more payments made a lot faster since we
got the Compact,” said hoof trimmer Richard Weingart at the Connecticut meeting. (Attachment 54–6d)