U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) led 10 of his Republican colleagues in urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency to swiftly open the sign-up period for America’s producers to enroll in the 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program.
As the nation’s premiere risk management tool for dairy producers, the DMC program helps producers manage changes between milk prices and feed costs, and protects farmers and their families from inflation and market uncertainty.
“As we are nearly halfway through January, there continues to be no indication given to producers of when they will be eligible to select their DMC coverage level for 2024,” wrote Rep. Feenstra and his colleagues in a Jan. 16 letter sent to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Zach Ducheneaux.
“This delay in DMC enrollment coupled with the already unpredictable nature of the industry is concerning for the farm economy and the constituents we represent,” the lawmakers wrote. “Transparency and communication are needed from USDA as the enrollment period continues to be delayed.”
Among the lawmakers who joined Rep. Feenstra in signing the letter were U.S. Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), and Mike Bost (R-IL).
In their letter, they pointed out that during 2023, producers faced several challenges, such as high input costs, inflation, and severe weather, among others.
“Programs like DMC, which provide certainty during unstable economic conditions, are vital to our producers and rural communities,” Rep. Feenstra and the lawmakers wrote, adding that last year’s margins for dairy producers were at the smallest they’ve been since the DMC program began, making DMC a crucial tool to hedge risk.
“We strongly urge the FSA to move quickly to open the DMC enrollment period for our dairy producers,” wrote the GOP members. “Certainty and predictability are essential in the agricultural industry, and this delay only causes frustration and economic strain for our producers.”