Friday the Deadline To Enroll In MPP

"Financially, it's not a good time to be a dairy farmer. That's kind of harsh language, but that's kind of the situation that we're in," said USDA Farm Service Agency Administrator Richard Fordyce.  He added producers are running out of time to sign up for the newly improved margin protection program.

He said many producers were not enrolled in the old program, saying it just didn't work for them.  So, in response, back in February, Congress made some changes,

"Margin calculations are done monthly now, as opposed to bi-monthly," said Fordyce.  "Premiums are reduced considerably, especially production under 5-million pounds."

Fordyce also says this new program is retroactive to the first of the year, so producers already have about five months of data on milk and feed prices.

"When producers can go in and sign up for example today, they would have a fairly good idea of what the program would pay."

For more information, contact your local farm service agency office bureau. Today, June first, is the last day to sign up for the program.

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