The American Farm Bureau Federation applauds the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s announcement today that the Dairy Margin Coverage program will begin enrollment following publication of the rule in the Federal Register next week.
The program will be retroactive to Jan. 1 of this year, and coverage will be available through December. AFBF previously sent a letter to Deputy Under Secretary Gloria Montaño Greene and Farm Service Agency Administrator Zach Ducheneaux urging them to open enrollment for the Dairy Margin Coverage program as soon as possible.
“AFBF is pleased that FSA listened to our concerns and will soon open enrollment for this critical farm safety net program,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “Dairy farming comes with unique challenges, and vital farm bill programs like Dairy Margin Coverage help farmers weather the storm in tough times. Any further delay in opening the program could have challenged the resilience of many farms, especially the most vulnerable. We look forward to the speedy implementation of the DMC program and efficient processing of claims.”
Dairy Margin Coverage is a risk management tool offered through the farm bill that provides support to farmers when the price of milk falls below the cost of supplies. Implementation delays resulted from adjustments to the program made when the 2018 farm bill was extended, and necessary technical updates.
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