Dairy Farm Risk Management Program Enrollment Starting

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack announced enrollment for the Dairy Farm Risk Management program will begin next week.  Sept. 2, 2014, farmers can enroll in the new dairy Margin Protection Program. The voluntary program, established by the 2014 Farm Bill, provides financial assistance to participating farmers when the difference between the price of milk and feed costs falls below the coverage level selected by the farmer. The Margin Protection Program, which replaces the Milk Income Loss Contract program, gives participating dairy producers the flexibility to select coverage levels best suited for their operation.  Enrollment ends on Nov. 28, 2014, for 2014 and 2015.

USDA Also launched a new web tool to help producers determine the level of coverage under the Margin Protection Program that will provide them with the strongest safety net under a variety of conditions. The online resource allows dairy farmers to quickly and easily combine unique operation data and other key variables to calculate their coverage needs based on price projections. Producers can also review historical data or estimate future coverage based on data projections.  You can visit the site at www.fsa.usda.gov/mpptool

Source:  NAFB News