USDA Farm Service Agency Administrator Richard Fordyce is urging farmers to sign up for the Dairy Margin Coverage program before the application deadline closes this Friday, December 11. Over 7,800 dairy producers had signed up by the end of November. “That is way off the previous pace,” says Fordyce. “Wisconsin has the most participation at 2,400 operations signed up, followed by Minnesota at around 1,000.” There are several reasons farmers may want to consider enrolling in this risk management program. “For every $1 paid in premiums the last ten years, dairy producers would have collected $9 in gross payments before premiums,” says Marin Bozic, dairy marketing economist, University of Minnesota. According to Minnesota Farm Service Agency State Executive Director Joe Martin, many farmers chose to lock in their coverage during the initial signup period. “For producers who chose this option, all they need to do is call the FSA office in order to sign the contract.” There is no immediate plan to extend the deadline for dairy farmers to sign up for the program. Listen to the Red River Farm Network story.