Dairy study bill passed

Senators passed a bill March 24 requiring the state Department of Agriculture to provide the Legislature a report about Nebraska’s dairy industry.

LB941, introduced by Ogallala Sen. Ken Schilz, calls for the report to examine Nebraska’s milk production and processing, marketing and expansion opportunities, productivity comparisons and trends and efforts to recruit dairies and stimulate investment.

The report will study the capacity of instate processors to increase their use of milk produced in Nebraska and examine the potential for expansion of self-processing and direct marketing of Nebraska milk and dairy products. Additionally, the bill allows the department director to make recommendations for ways that state government could stimulate milk production and markets.

The deadline for the report is Nov. 15, 2014, with the intent that it receive a public hearing by the Agriculture Committee.

The bill passed on a 46-0 vote.