If the California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) won't do it, maybe the California state Legislature will. The Western United Dairymen (WUD) board of directors voted, Oct. 19, to advance a bill that would more closely align the whey value in the California 4b minimum milk pricing formula with the federally regulated minimum price for whey found in surrounding states.  The effort is the latest stemming from a July recommendation by a CDFA panel denying changes in the 4b formula. In issuing its ruling, the panel stated the “current Class 4b pricing formula maintains a sound economic relationship between the state’s milk production and marketing conditions for manufactured dairy products.”  CDFA subsequently denied another petition, filed Aug. 6, by WUD, seeking an emergency hearing on the Class 4b formula, as well as a six-month, 50¢/cwt. increase in the minimum price for all classes of milk. (more) Oct. 22, 2012 DairyProfit Update