Producers Have Two More Months to Choose Coverage Under Margin Protection Program
August 4, 2015
Dairy farmers have two more months to sign up at their local Farm Service Agency offices for coverage in 2016 under the dairy Margin Protection Program. The second enrollment period under the new federal dairy safety net program opened July 1st and closes September 30th.
To help farmers make decisions, NMPF has updated the tools at www.FutureforDairy.com, a website serving as a clearinghouse for MPP information. Included are a brochure explaining the program and its importance to dairy farmers; a PowerPoint presentation that also highlights the benefits of the program; Frequently Asked Questions on the MPP; and a calculator allowing farmers to estimate future margins based on their forecasts of feed and milk prices.
MPP helps protect against the kind of catastrophic losses that many farmers experienced in 2009 and again in 2012. It allows farmers to insure the difference between milk prices and feed costs. Producers insure their operations on a sliding scale, deciding both how much of their production to cover and the level of margin to protect.
Through the first six months of 2015, the program has issued payments for each of the three bi-monthly coverage windows for those who elected the maximum $8 margin coverage. NMPF was instrumental in MPP’s enactment and encourages producers to use the program.
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