WASHINGTON – U.S. Reps. John Baldacci and Tom Allen on Thursday called upon President George W. Bush to support reauthorization of the Northeast Dairy Compact, and cautioned against using the compact as a means to retaliate against Sen. James Jeffords’ decision to leave the Republican Party.

In a letter to the president, Baldacci and Allen outlined the importance of the compact for Maine’s agricultural economy, and pressed for administration action to bring about reauthorization.

“Both The Hill and The New York Times have published stories that suggest that the administration could oppose renewing the Northeast Dairy Compact for political reasons related to Sen. Jeffords’ position on the tax cut and subsequent departure from the Republican Party. The 454 small family dairy farmers in our state should not be punished because Sen. Jeffords decided to act in the best interests of his state. The Northeast Dairy Compact is bipartisan legislation which is currently supported by 163 members of Congress,” Baldacci and Allen wrote.