Panelists Will Answer Questions About Upcoming COVID-19 Relief Payments and DMC Feed Cost Updates
On Tuesday, September 14 from 12:30-1:30 p.m., the Center for Dairy Excellence will host a Dairy Industry Conference Call to address the upcoming USDA Pandemic Market Volatility Program to provide COVID-19 relief to dairy farmers. With the USDA announcing that they will provide $350 million in pandemic assistance to dairy farmers who received a lower value for their products due to abnormal market conditions, panelists from the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and USDA will join the conference call to provide updates and answer real-time questions.
The Pandemic Market Volatility Program is set to pay dairy farmers for 80 percent of the difference per month based on an annual production cap of 5 million pounds of milk marketed and on fluid milk sales for the second half of 2020. Panelists will answer questions about how this program works, the timeline for payments, and other program information affecting dairy farmers.
Panelists will also provide updates on the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) feed cost equation and how it affects dairy producers who were enrolled in DMC in 2020 and are currently enrolled in the program. The DMC feed cost equation was recently updated to include the price of high-quality alfalfa compared to the current average price of mid-grade and high-quality alfalfa. This adjustment better reflects the actual price paid by farmers for dairy quality hay, and will impact the DMC margins and indemnity payments.
The following panelists will join the conference call on September 14:
- Paul Bleiberg, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF). Bleiberg will provide updates from a legislative perspective on what these COVID-19 relief payments might mean for dairy producers and how to take advantage of the program.
- Cynthia Walters, Pennsylvania Dairy Program Director, USDA. Walters will share updates and answer questions about the DMC feed cost equation. If details are available by the time of the call on Supplemental DMC Coverage and updating production history, Walters will share those updates as well.
- Zach Myers, Risk Education Manager, Center for Dairy Excellence. Myers will share updates on the Dairy Margin Coverage program and how it has benefited producers in the past year.
To ensure as many questions can be addressed as possible, questions must be submitted in advance of the call. Text/call 717-585-0766 to submit questions for panelists or email zmyers@centerfordairyexcellence.org.
Learn more about how to join the conference call:
- Date: Tuesday, September 14 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
- How to Join:
- Dial (978) 990-5000 via free conference call.
- Enter Access Code 553371, followed by the # sign, when prompted.
- You will automatically be entered into the conference call. You will automatically be muted when you join.
- How to submit questions in advance: Text/call 717-585-0766 to submit your questions to the question line or email zmyers@centerfordairyexcellence.org.
To listen back to previous conference call recordings, visit www.centerfordairyexcellence.org/conference-calls. For questions about how to join, contact the Center at 717-346-0849.