Dairy producers have until December 11 to enroll in the 2021 Dairy Margin Coverage safety net program. Iowa State Dairy Association Executive Director Mitch Schulte says D-M-C provides valuable insurance coverage for producers at whatever level they choose.

D-M-C signup which started in October is designed to help producers manage economic risk brought on by milk price and feed cost disparities. Schulte says when they sign up producers need to certify to the Farm Service Agency that their operation is commercially marketing milk.

Producers can select the $4.00 catastrophic level of coverage with no premium fee. Schulte says there are several levels of coverage available for producers to consider.

D-M-C offers price protection to dairy producers when the difference between the all milk price and the average feed cost (the margin) falls below a specific dollar amount selected by the producer.