§ 258-p. Declaration of policy. It is hereby declared: that the milk
industry is a paramount agricultural activity of this state and of the
northeast in a region comprising the New England states and the Middle
Atlantic states and is a business affecting the public health and
welfare of the inhabitants of this state and of the northeast; that the
production and marketing of milk of the dairy farms of this state and of
states in the northeast region is of vast economic importance to the
state and to the region; that compliance with reasonable requirements
for the production and marketing of a safe and high quality milk supply
is a matter of great importance both to the welfare of the dairy farmers
of this state and the northeast, and the health and welfare of the
consumers of milk and dairy products; that the production conditions in
the northeast including the climate, topography and soils are about the
same but marketing conditions are unique as compared to the remainder of
the United States in that practically all of the milk in the northeast
is produced for fluid markets because of the concentration of
population. The natural marketing area, under present conditions of
production and marketing, lies within the boundaries of the eleven
different states with widely different laws and regulations which govern
the economic climate and sanitary conditions under which milk and dairy
products are marketed. Artificial barriers have contributed
significantly to the loss of competitive position by New York and other
Northeastern states. The market share held by milk producers in the
region has declined. The marketing system for milk and dairy products in
the northeast has been and still is badly fragmented. Assembly,
administration, operating and sales costs are excessively high.
Cooperative membership is below that in most areas of the country.
Competition from other regions of the country will increase. A common
marketing area in the northeast is necessary for a prosperous and
growing dairy industry and it is in the best interest of consumers. It
is therefore essential that there be uniformity of laws and regulations
governing the production, processing and marketing of milk and dairy
products in the northeast. The lack of uniformity of laws and
regulations involving inspection of farms and plants, labeling of dairy
products and their imitations, standards for dairy products, licensing
of milk dealers and the terms of milk market orders have been a serious
deterrent to expanding markets for northeast dairy products and costly
to consumers.