The U.S. Department of Agriculture has again extended a deadline for dairy farmers to sign up for a federal safety net program.
Farmers now have until June 22, 2018 to sign up for the Margin Protection Program (MPP), which aims to safeguard participating dairy producers by issuing payments when the margin – the difference between the price of milk and feed costs – falls below levels of protection selected by the applicant.
The USDA says it has already issued more than $89 million for margins triggered in February, March, and April.
This will be the last opportunity for producers to take advantage of key adjustments Congress made to provisions of the MPP program under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, according to the agency.
Those interested in the program should contact their county Farm Service Agency.
