The Congressional budget office has estimated that the cost of redoing the dairy margin protection safety net program is $2 billion. The National Milk Producers Federation leaders are asking the Senate and House Ag Committees to fix the margin protection program in the next farm bill. The latest CBO estimate has brought concerns from some Ag committee members. Federation’s Chris Galen says lawmakers need to remember that the CBO has missed the mark on other past estimates.

He says lawmakers need to look at what policy works best to assist dairy producers when writing the new farm bill and not be concerned about an initial cost estimate that’s off.

Galen says his group will continue to work with Senate and House Ag Committee members to help them see the need for the margin protection safety net program.

Minnesota Congressman Collin Peterson, ranking member on the House Ag Committee says the CBO didn’t score the margin protection program properly during the 2014 farm bill discussions.