The Vermont Legislature approved $2.6 million to reimburse Vermont dairy farmers enrolled in the program for 2022 and 2023. The reimbursement program is underway and estimates program reimbursement allocated to date for 2022 at $1.5 million. It is estimated that there will be $1.1 million remaining to provide reimbursement for 2023.
The sign-up deadline for enrollment is Dec. 9. All interested dairy farmers should contact their county USDA Farm Service Agency Office as soon as possible. Find your county FSA office at offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app?state=vt&agency=fsa.
“Dairy Margin Coverage Program can help all dairy farmers manage milk price and feed cost risks,” said State Executive Director of USDA Farm Services Agency John Roberts in a statement.
The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets is working closely with the 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 the agency. These waivers will cover data sharing in 2023.
The 2018 Farm Bill authorized the Dairy Margin Coverage program, which replaced the Margin Protection Program for Dairy. The 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.
For questions, contact Diane Bothfeld, agency director of dairy policy, at Diane.Bothfeld@vermont.gov or 802-828-5667.
