The New Reform of 2004

• Because the members of the California Legislature are convinced they have improved Public Education with the Accountability Act of 1999, they are looking for new challenges

that will attract votes in the upcoming election.

Our Legislative Leaders

Have focused their attention on an industry that has long been a

source of pride in the Golden State.

Milk

Dairy Production in California

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MilkButterCheese

California politicians are concerned about the steady decline in Dairy production over the past 30 years.

The Problem

• There are no dairy standards

• Cows are not held accountable for milk production

Farmers are not trying hard enough

Proposed Legislation

Senator Vaca has introduced a bill that will mandate testing

of each cow in California.

How it worksEach cow will be assigned a MPI (Milk Production Index)

based on a few simple calculations

Cows will also be held accountable to an ABP (Adequate Bovine Progress) rating

Based on an additional nine step formula

Cow Classifications

All cows in California will be placed in one of five categories.

The Advanced Cow

The Proficient Cow

The Basic Cow

•Below standard production

•Makes excuses

The Below Basic Cow

Tries to “lay it off” on someone else

The Far Below Basic Cow

The State will pay Farmers $3.40 per hour to offer interventions to these cows.

Farmers will have to disaggregate milk production improvement by several subgroups

Each sub-group must make their MPI And their ABP

The Challenge

• Farmers must be convinced that releasing cows from milking for 60 hours to administer the test will increase milk production.

• Some farmers do not understand.

“Waddaya think, Clem?”

Some cows may resist

• Cows that do not speak English and/or come from other cultures must still take the test!

• Gender is also not sufficient reason to be excused from the milk production test

What about cows with special needs?

• They must also take the tests.

• Farmers that allow cows to opt out of the tests will be assessed penalties.

• These cows may, however, be given extra time (which, of course, means they must be excused from milking)

• This will also increase milk production.

How are Farmers held accountable?

• Farmers will develop action plans to improve milk production.

• These plans are called the

California

Resources

Action

Plan

• Or “CRAP” for short

“Waddaya think, Clem?”

How often do Farmers make action plans?

• The Farmers are subjected to CRAP every year until production improves.

• They will be released from milking to develop these plans.

• This will also improve milk production.

Who will supervise all this?

• The

Department of

Uniform

Milk

Betterment

Or……….. DUMB for short

In other words……..

The DUMB will oversee the CRAP

What if the cows don’t produce more milk?

The DUMB will impose sanctions

The Barn will be labeledA Program Improvement Barn

Experts will be sent from Sacramento to show Farmers new milking techniques

And if this doesn’t work?

Additional experts will be hired

Farmers will lose Federal funding

“that’s OK, son, we’ll just try harder.”

Cows will be allowed to transfer to the barn of their choice.

“We’re outta here”

At the Farmer’s expense

Farmers will write more Action Plans

• These plans will be submitted to the

Milk

Office of

Commercial

Resources

Action

Planning

• Or “MO-CRAP” for short

Head Start Executive Director will take over the farms

Some people believe this will this improve milk production

What if milk production still doesn’t improve?

?

The barn will be closed

This will definitely improve milk production

Other sanctions

• The Grange, 4-H Club, and other farm organizations will be dissolved.

• The cows’ parents will take over the farm.

• The Farmers will have to go work in another barn.

The Federal Government recognizes the merit of this idea

So…………………

N.C.L.B. now stands for

“No Cow Left Behind”