New DPAC leadership outlines agenda

HARRISBURG -- The Dairy Policy Action Coalition (DPAC) recently met to vote on the 2013 leadership and to outline DPAC’s agenda for the coming year.

Pennsylvania dairy producers Dan Brandt of Annville and Rob Barley of Conestoga will be serving as the new DPAC co-chairs. Brandt is a partner in Brandt-View Farms, a fourth-generation farm that is home to 370 head of registered Holsteins. Barley is a partner in Star Rock Farms, a diversified enterprise farming land in both Lancaster and York counties, Pennsylvania. In addition to the 1400-cow dairy, the operation includes cash crops as well as beef and pork production.

Brandt and Barley are replacing Clifford Hawbaker of Chambersburg, Pa., who has served as chairman for the past three years. “As a charter member of DPAC, Cliff was instrumental in bringing together dairy producers across the nation and forming the coalition,” said Rob Barley. “He did an excellent job as chairman, as we look forward to continuing his purpose to actively participate in the policy that affects our industry.”

Paul Horning will continue as DPAC treasurer. Horning is a former dairy farmer from Stevens, Lancaster County, Pa. Rounding out the executive committee are Alan Kozak and Dale Hoffman. Kozak and his wife operate Clover Patch Dairy, milking 430 registered Jerseys and raising and selling replacements near Millsburg, Holmes County, Ohio. Hoffman and his family operate Kar-Dale Acres, which is home to 700 milking cows plus a similar number of replacement animals near Shinglehouse, Potter County, Pa.

DPAC also would like to recognize the efforts of Bernie Morrissey as DPAC’s founding father and Sherry Bunting, DPAC’s recording secretary, for their tireless efforts in the past few years. DPAC would not exist without the efforts of these two passionate individuals.

Versant Strategies of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, will be picking up additional responsibilities in the management of DPAC going forward.

DPAC’s immediate agenda will be to support the Goodlatte/Scott Amendment, which allows for dairy farmers to purchase margin insurance without supply controls. “DPAC believes that imposing supply controls will damage the growing export market for dairy products,” said Dan Brandt, DPAC co-chair.

Also in the coming months, the new chairmen will be reviewing DPAC committee structure and reaching out to other organizations that have a similar philosophy regarding federal dairy policy. In addition, in an effort to attain a higher level of transparency, DPAC soon will be posting bi-weekly updates on its website.

The Dairy Policy Action Coalition (DPAC) is a coalition of grassroots dairy producers actively participating, with a unified voice, on policies and issues affecting milk pricing.