USDA is extending the deadline to enroll in Dairy Margin Coverage and Supplemental Dairy Margin Coverage for 2022. Alan Bjerga with the National Milk Producers Federation says enrollment for 2022 DMC is currently at 8,900 operations or 55 percent of the 2021 program year enrollment and so the agency is trying to get more involvement.
He says they encourage producers to participate in the program because it is a much improved safety net tool over previous programs.
Bjerga says DMC should be part of every operation’s risk management program, even when milk prices are projected to be high.
The deadline to apply for coverage is now March 25, 2022. USDA’s Farm Service Agency opened signup in December 2021 to help producers manage economic risk brought on by milk price and feed cost disparities.
Producers who enrolled in DMC for 2021 received margin payments each month, January through November, for a total of $1.2 billion, with an average payment of $60,275 per operation. Supplemental DMC coverage is applicable to calendar years 2021, 2022 and 2023. For more information, dairy producers should contact their local USDA Service Center.
