N.J. Food Council Opposes Milk Tax

TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey Food Council here has announced opposition to a proposed $0.02 cents per gallon tax on all fluid milk sold in New Jersey. The tax was proposed last week as part of a plan to help the state's dairy farmers, who have struggled this year with a collapse in the wholesale price of milk.

The association contends that the price of milk is currently on the rise, and that the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently released a subsidy of $290 million for dairy farmers, and purchased $60 million in dairy products to boost demand and bolster prices.

"We could not support this proposal nor do we believe New Jersey consumers want a milk tax that subsidizes out-of-state farmers when many New Jersey families are having a difficult time putting food on their own table," Linda M. Doherty, president of the NJFC, said in a release.

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