An intensive outreach campaign successfully reversed declining enrollment trends in a federal dairy protection program, leading to increased participation among American dairy farmers this year.
The Dairy Margin Coverage Program now includes 13,349 participating farms, representing a jump from last year’s 12,989 enrollments. The percentage of dairy operations taking part in the USDA program climbed to 57 percent, compared to 53 percent in the prior enrollment period.
The National Milk Producers Federation spearheaded the communication effort through multiple channels, including television appearances on RFD-TV, articles distributed through farm broadcasting networks, social media campaigns, leadership columns, member notifications, and press announcements.
The enrollment increase demonstrates that dairy producers continue to value this financial protection program and benefit from its assistance. Congressional improvements to the program were included in last year’s budget reconciliation legislation, featuring updated production records and expanded milk volume coverage.
Meanwhile, February margin calculations under the program triggered another round of payments to participating farmers. The reported margin reached $8.46 per hundredweight, marking a $0.65 increase from the previous month. Producers who chose the maximum $9.50 coverage level received $1.04 per hundredweight for February.
The improved margin resulted from an $0.80 per hundredweight rise in overall milk prices from January, though this was partially offset by a $0.15 increase in the program’s feed cost calculation, primarily due to higher soybean meal prices.
According to USDA projections from late March using the agency’s decision-making tool, February’s payment may be the final significant payout for the year, with only a small March payment possible. The department forecasts margins will average $10.61 per hundredweight annually.
