The sign-up period is open until December 9, 2022, and all farmers should contact their USDA Farm Services Agency Office for more information.
Here are further specifics of the state reimbursement program:
• The milk producer is in good standing with the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets and the Agency of Natural Resources; and
• The milk producer provides proof of payment of an annual (2023) premium payment for participation in Tier 1 of DMC.
• A milk producer shall apply to the Secretary of the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets on or before July 1, 2023, to participate.
• The Secretary shall reimburse eligible applicants in the order in which the Secretary receives administratively complete applications. The Secretary shall have the discretion to determine when an application is administratively complete.
• After funds are exhausted, applicants shall no longer be eligible for reimbursement from the Secretary unless or until additional funds are appropriated to the Assistance Program.
Notice is being provided to encourage all interested farmers to explore the Dairy Margin Coverage Program and determine if the program is right for their farm.
Reimbursement for the Tier 1 premium will occur after payment in full has been made to USDA. The Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets shall reimburse eligible applicants in the order in which the Agency receives administratively complete applications after the payment in full to USDA. After funds are exhausted, applicants shall no longer be eligible for reimbursement from the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets unless or until additional funds are appropriated to the Assistance Program by the Vermont Legislature.
The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets is working closely with USDA Farm Services Agency on this reimbursement program. For the 2022 program each dairy farmer had to sign a waiver for USDA Farm Services Agency to share information with VAAFM. These waivers will cover data sharing in 2023.
The 2018 Farm Bill authorized the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program, which replaced the Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP-Dairy). The DMC program is a voluntary program that provides dairy operations with risk management coverage that pays producers when the difference (the margin) between the national price of milk and the average cost of feed falls below a certain level selected by the program participants.