Clifford Hardin sits with President Richard Nixon at the president's desk in the White House Oval Office.

                In 1971, Secretary of Agriculture Clifford Hardin faced speculation from the American public over accusations regarding the American Milk Producers. Despite Hardin’s refusal, President Richard Nixon and his cabinet fell under suspicion over the raising of milk prices for a promised political contribution from the dairy industry. After his exit, Hardin said in an interview that a Federal Marketing Order was established in Oklahoma City by the USDA which provided that in times of short milk supply, milk could be transported from another market and the two markets pooled together for pricing purposes. However, it seemed to Hardin that the Order was being used in a way that caused non-associated Milk Producer members to receive a lower price than associated members (qtd. in "Why Did the Government Initiate Antitrust Actions Against the Large Dairy Cooperatives?" 1).


Sources

     Why Did the Government Initiate Antitrust Actions Against the Large Dairy Cooperatives? HP, ASCUNL, 1971.