Agricultural Marketing Service April 13, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

It has been determined by the Deputy Administrator of Dairy Programs that the dairy products price series in the Dairy Products Sales report released by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is equivalent to the price series previously released by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) in the Dairy Products Prices report. The dairy product price series is used in the price discovery mechanism for raw milk component values, and the component values are then used in determining Federal milk market order (FMMO) minimum classified milk prices. AMS previously used the NASS prices in the determination of raw milk component values; however, the responsibility for the collection of dairy product sales data was transferred from NASS to AMS effective April, 1, 2012 (77 FR 8717), at which time NASS discontinued the publication of its Dairy Products Prices report. The data collected by AMS through this new system will be used for future component value computations and the subsequent calculation of FMMO minimum classified milk prices. The establishment of an equivalent dairy products price series is essential to the continuing operation of the FMMO program.