Maine News Updates

More than 140 people who support Maine's dairy industry, many of them farmers, came to the Statehouse today for a forum on milk prices.

The Legislature's Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee asked farmers to attend the forum to talk about the difficulty they are having in the tough economy.

"It is to get public input on the tier program and stabilizing the industry to make sure everybody gets through the economic crisis we're in now," said Rep. Wendy, Pieh, D-Bremen, chairwoman of the committee.

Bob Wellington, an economist with Agri-Mark Dairy Cooperative, said reduced demand driven by weak economies in the U.S. and abroad has caused the price that farmers get for their milk to fall.

The forum is scheduled to continue throughout the day in room 208 of the Cross State Office Building.