The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently confirmed additional assistance for dairy farmers.
The extra aid includes a second round of payments through the Pandemic Market Volatility Assistance Program as well as a new Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program, according to a Jan. 23 news release. The updates to these programs aim to help small and medium dairy operations that put up with the hardships from the pandemic to now face other challenges.
“USDA is also announcing new assistance targeted to small to medium size organic dairy farmers to help with anticipated marketing costs as they face a variety of challenges from weather to supply-chain challenges," USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Moffitt said in the release.
PMVAP provides help for operations that made less revenue due to market fluctuations brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, the release reported. Because of the production cap increase, the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service will pay eligible dairy farmers who produced fluid milk sales between 5 million and 9 million pounds from July through December 2020.
The USDA reminds the public this level of production was not eligible for payment under the first round of the program, according to the release. Payment rates will be identical to the first round of payments.
“The Biden-Harris administration continues to fulfill its commitments to fill gaps in pandemic assistance for producers," Jenny Lester Moffitt said in the release. "USDA is announcing a second set of payments of nearly $100 million to close-out the $350 million commitment under PMVAP through partnerships with dairy handlers and cooperatives to deliver the payments.”
