AGRICULTURE

Dairy Farmers Seek Temporary Price Increase: The Alliance of Western Milk Producers, representing the state’s 2,300 dairy farmers, has asked the California Department of Food and Agriculture to raise farm prices in February and March by seven cents a gallon to cover costs related to the recent floods. The request comes after the department rejected a petition from Consumers Union that would have resulted in lower milk prices. Retail milk prices in Southern California are at a record high, although there has been a surplus of milk.