December DMC Margin Comes in Just Above Payment Threshold
February 2, 2022
2021 narrowly missed being the first calendar year during which the Dairy Margin Coverage program would have made payments at the maximum $9.50/cwt coverage level during every month. But a milk-price surge prevented that from happening.
The December margin under the program was $9.53/cwt, $0.39/cwt. higher than November’s margin and above the threshold needed to trigger payments at the maximum coverage level. From November to December, the all-milk price gained $1.00/cwt, to $21.80/cwt, while the DMC feed cost gained $0.61/cwt. On a per hundredweight of milk basis, half of the feed-cost increase was from higher soybean meal prices, one-third from higher corn prices, and one-sixth from higher premium alfalfa prices.
Late January dairy and grain futures continued to indicate a very small likelihood for payments during 2022; still, the generally strong milk price outlook has shown volatility in recent weeks, and grain prices have been showing renewed strength.
Signup for the 2022 DMC program is underway and will close on Feb. 18. Last year’s program has paid out nearly $1.2 billion to 18,800 enrolled operations as of Jan. 31. NMPF is urging dairy farmers who haven’t yet joined DMC to do so. NMPF has a page of resources for members who may have questions here.
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