Resolve, To Review Sales of Dairy Products

Sec. 1. Commissioner of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources directed to examine sales of dairy products. Resolved: That the Commissioner of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources shall, within existing resources, convene a working group to study the feasibility of extending a handling fee to or initiating a sales tax on dairy products other than fluid milk. The commissioner shall invite dairy farmers, milk processors, retail grocers, an economist with expertise in marketing and a representative of the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of Revenue Services to participate in the working group. The commissioner shall seek participation from other agencies and individuals as needed to assist in determining the products on which to impose a fee, the point of fee collection and an estimate of revenue generated.

The commissioner shall report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over agricultural matters and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over taxation matters no later than January 15, 2011 with recommendations on how to increase revenue from the sales of dairy products.