NORWICH – One of Chenagno County’s most ardent dairy promoters, Ken “Mr. Milk” Dibbell, lobbied several county lawmakers last Tuesday to enlist their support for legislation intended to help struggling family dairy farms.

Dibbell has been drawing attention all year to the Milk Marketing Improvement Act of 2011, formerly known as the Spector-Casey Bill, as the means to keep dairies in business. The bill would price raw milk at the farm gate based on the average cost of production as determined by the United States Department of Agriculture. For example, the USDA’s calculated cost was $25/cwt in New York in April 2010, but the pay price at the farm was $15.10/cwt.

In addition, the MMIA carries no government subsidy; no taxpayer cost.

Dibble said Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey has already marked up the proposed legislation, known as Senate Bill #1640.

“It’s ready. It’s sitting there. We need to get it (the bill) introduced on the Senate floor and moved onto the House,” he told New Berlin Supervisor Ross Iannello, Greene Supervisor Jack Cook and others within earshot following last week’s annual government organizational meeting.

Chenango County lawmakers officially backed #1640 in a resolution adopted by the board of supervisors in late November.