New Mexico congresswoman says dairy farmers dumping milk due to restaurant closings

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico -- As restaurants operate at a fraction of the capacity they normally would, dairy farmers are forced to dump their milk, southern New Mexico's congresswoman told ABC-7.

"Cows will continue to produce milk even though there isn't a place to take it," said U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small (D-Las Cruces). "Right now, the restaurants that they had contracts with are no longer needing those milk products."

The $2.2 trillion CARES Act, passed into law on March 27th, included $14 billion to replenish the Commodity Credit Corporation, which will allow the U.S. Department of Agriculture to aid farmers.

"We're working hard to make sure that the USDA is using the money that Congress has already given them... to purchase those milk products and get them into our food banks," Rep. Torres Small said.

There was also $350 billion in loans for small businesses in the CARES act. Torres Small told ABC-7 that $1.3 billion of that went to New Mexico businesses.

Last week, almost 80,000 New Mexicans were in the system either collecting unemployment or awaiting it, according to the state.

"New Mexico didn't get its fair share," she admitted. "It's not enough. we need more support."