A government shutdown following the signing of the 2018 Farm Bill delayed implementation of the new Dairy Margin Coverage Program. Five months later, Associated Milk Producers Incorporated Vice President of Public Affairs Sarah Schmidt says AMPI members are starting to receive their letters from the USDA that spell out what they’ll receive in a Margin Protection Program refund. “That was another piece of the 2018 farm program; lawmakers recognized the MPP program didn’t work. Now, dairy farmers can decide if they want to take 50 percent of a refund in cash or use 75 percent of the refund and put it toward future DMC premiums. These aren’t big amounts of money.” Schmidt says dairy farmers will be making a decision about their DMC participation level based on this refund. “I think they’ll start seeing very quickly the DMC is the right thing to do.” Schmidt says it will take time for dairy farmers to regain faith in the USDA program. DMC sign-up begins mid-June and will be open for 90 days.
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