The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is encouraging dairy producers to enroll in Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC), an important safety net program that helps offset milk and feed price differences. This year’s DMC signup began Jan. 12 and the deadline to enroll is Feb. 26, 2026.
“We encourage producers to join the 13 dairy operations in Montana that have already signed up for this important safety net program in advance of the deadline,” said USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Mike Foster in Montana. “At $0.15 per hundredweight for $9.50 coverage, risk protection through Dairy Margin Coverage is a cost-effective tool to manage risk and provide added financial security for your operations.”
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed by President Donald J. Trump on July 4, 2025, reauthorized DMC for calendar years 2026 through 2031 and provided substantial program improvements, including establishing new production history and increasing Tier 1 coverage.
The OBBBA increased DMC’s Tier 1 coverage level from five million pounds to six million pounds. All dairy operations that elect to enroll in DMC for 2026 will establish a new production history.
Source : usda.gov