The American Farm Bureau Federation wants the USDA to provide emergency help for dairy farmers. South Dakota Farm Bureau President Scott VanderWal says it’s something the Secretary of Agriculture can do by working within the current farm bill.
He says the USDA can use their existing programs to help dairy farmers without opening up the farm bill and they can buy additional dairy products to be used in USDA’s nutrition programs and for donations to food banks.
VanderWal says the U.S. all milk price fell to $ 14.50 per hundredweight in May, the lowest level since 2009.
USDA is projecting a 2016 average milk price of $ 15.70 per hundredweight, down 35 percent from 2014 and the second lowest level in the past decade.
