More Than 20,000 Dairy Farms Have Signed up for MPP

The Department of Agriculture this week said more than 20,000 dairy farmers have enrolled in the Dairy Margin Protection Program, which enrollment for closes Friday. USDA undersecretary Bill Northey told Politico he expects more producers to enroll in the program, compared to last year. In 2017, roughly 20,300 dairy farmers enrolled in the program, accounting for 64 percent of U.S. …

Deadline Extended for Margin Protection Program for Dairy

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue extended the deadline for producers to sign up for the Farm Service Agency’s Margin Protection Program (MPP) – Dairy by one week. The program provides a much needed safety net for dairy producers, and signup will continue until June 8 for them to elect coverage. All dairy operations must make new coverage elections for 2018, even …

NMPF Thanks USDA for Extending Margin Protection Program Sign-up Window

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) expressed thanks to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue for his department’s decision to give dairy farmers additional time to review their 2018 coverage options in the dairy Margin Protection Program (MPP). The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said Monday it is extending the June 1 sign-up deadline to Friday, June 8.  NMPF, along with key …

Celebrating National Cheese Day

Today we are celebrating a food that comes in many forms, shapes and flavors. Cathy Isom fills us in about a day dedicated to cheese. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Celebrating National Cheese Day June 4th is National Cheese Day. There are many food holidays that are dedicated to dishes with cheese. Today we honor only cheese. It’s …

MPP-Dairy Sign-Up Deadline Is Today

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) wants to remind dairy producers that today, June 1, is the deadline to sign-up for the Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP-Dairy). The program offers protections for dairy producers from shifting milk and feed prices. Dairy operations must make a new coverage election for 2018, even if you enrolled during the previous 2018 signup period. Coverage elections made …

Got Jobs? Dairy Does

The newspaper headlines in 2018 have painted a grim portrait of the difficult financial conditions facing many of America’s dairy farmers.  The prolonged slump in milk prices we’ve been going through has taken a painful toll on farmers, raising questions about the outlook not just for individual farms, but for the entire U.S. dairy sector.  Hopefully, the recent positive movement …

Nation’s Number Two Milk Processor Continues to Close Plants

Dean Foods, the nation’s number-two milk producer behind Nestle, continues to shutter businesses in cost-cutting moves. Milk Business Dot Com says supply-and-demand economics appears to be the driving force behind the downsizing. U.S. milk production is continuing to climb as the demand for fluid milk wanes. That’s been hard on Dean’s bottom line as the company reported a year-over-year eight …

Reminder: MPP Enrollment Deadline Looming

Dairy farmers have until Friday to enroll in the retooled dairy Margin Protection Program. The Department of Agriculture set a June first deadline for enrollment in the program that was revised by Congress earlier this year. USDA says many producers will see payments in early June, depending on the coverage they elect. The program protects dairy producers by paying them …

Dairy Groups Ask for Original Oversight

U.S. dairy producers and manufacturers offered to collaborate with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to continue fostering dairy food safety and job growth, as the agency develops procedures for regulating imported foods, including shellfish and dairy. The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) asked for further engagement with FDA on ways to …