Adequate Milk Supply
The mission of the Compact Commission, the governing entity established to implement the Compact, is to take such steps as are necessary to assure the continued viability of dairy farming in the northeast and to provide consumers with an adequate, local supply of fresh milk.
The participating states resolved that the dairy industry is the paramount agricultural activity of the northeast. Dairy farms, and associated suppliers, marketers, processors and retailers are each an integral part of the region's economy. Their ability to provide a stable, local supply of milk is a matter of importance to the health and welfare of the region.
Cultural and Economic Benefits
States in the Compact region have found that dairy farming is essential to the region's rural communities and character. The farms preserve open spaces, sculpt the landscape and provide a base for a diversity of recreational pursuits. In defining the rural character of our communities and landscape, dairy farms also provide a major draw for the regional tourist industry.
Regulating Milk Prices for the Public Interest
The participating states concluded that their ability to control the price that dairy farmers in the region receive for their product is essential to the public interest. Assurance of a fair and equitable price for dairy farmers ensures their ability to provide milk to the market as well as encouraging the vitality of the northeast economy and preserving open spaces.
