House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will open enrollment for the dairy Margin Protection Program on September 2. The new program was authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill and aims to address volatility in the dairy marketplace, providing dairy farmers with a safety net when margins, the difference between milk prices and feed, fall below the farmer’s coverage level.

“The Margin Protection Program is significant reform, creating a strong safety net that will help dairy farmers better manage their risk,” Peterson said. “Reforming dairy programs was a top farm bill priority for me, and I’m pleased to see USDA moving ahead with implementation. Dairy farmers should visit the website and their local FSA offices, to learn more and enroll in the new program.”

Shortly after dairy prices collapsed in 2008, Peterson began working with dairy farmers across the country to develop a new safety net that would address the realities of today’s dairy industry. These conversations formed the basis of the farm bill’s Margin Protection Program.

Also today, USDA announced the Dairy Product Donation Program, authorizing USDA to purchase dairy products during times of oversupply. The purchases would then be donated to food banks to help families in need.

Dairy farmers looking for more information on the Margin Protection Program can visit USDA’s website – www.fsa.usda.gov/mpptool
 

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