The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that it will provide financial assistance to dairy farmers who have been affected by natural disasters in recent years. The assistance will be provided through the Milk Loss Assistance program, which will compensate eligible dairy farms and processors for milk that has been dumped due to qualifying disaster events.
The qualifying disaster events include droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, winter storms, and smoke exposure. The assistance will be available to dairy farms and processors that have lost milk due to these events during the years 2020, 2021, and 2022.
The Milk Loss Assistance program is administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA). Dairy farmers and processors who are interested in applying for assistance can do so beginning on September 11, 2023. Applications will be accepted through October 16, 2023.
The amount of assistance that a dairy farm or processor will receive will be determined by the amount of milk that was dumped due to the qualifying disaster event, as well as the farm's or processor's production costs.
The USDA's announcement of the Milk Loss Assistance program was met with praise from the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF). NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern said that the program is "a critical, long-awaited financial assistance" for dairy farmers who have been struggling to recover from natural disasters.
Mulhern also urged dairy farmers who have been affected by natural disasters to sign up for the Milk Loss Assistance program as soon as possible. "We stand ready to assist them as they go through this process," he said.
The Milk Loss Assistance program is a welcome relief for dairy farmers who have been struggling to recover from natural disasters. The program will help to ensure that these farmers have the resources they need to stay in business and continue to provide safe and affordable milk for consumers.
Important details about the Milk Loss Assistance program:
• The program will be funded by $100 million in appropriations from Congress.
• Dairy farms and processors that are eligible for assistance must have lost
at least 5% of their milk production due to a qualifying disaster event.
• The maximum amount of assistance that a dairy farm or processor can receive is $1 million.
• Applications for assistance must be submitted to the FSA by October 16, 2023.
For more information about the Milk Loss Assistance program, visit the USDA's website.
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Categories: Indiana, Livestock, Dairy Cattle