NOVI, Mich.–Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA) applauds the Senate Agriculture Committee for approving a farm bill draft this week that includes key improvements to dairy programs.
“We commend Committee Chairwoman Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Ranking Member Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS), for their bipartisan leadership and dedication in moving this legislation forward,” says Ken Nobis, MMPA President. “The dairy title contains much needed improvements to current dairy programs that will better protect dairy farmers and benefit consumers.”
The dairy title is modeled after the Foundation for the Future policy dairy reforms first proposed by National Milk Producers Federation nearly two years ago and supported by MMPA and many other state and national farm organizations.
“We look forward to the next step in the legislative process and urge the full Senate to preserve the important components of the dairy title,” says Nobis.
The dairy title includes a margin insurance program that protects farmers from dire economic conditions caused by either low milk prices or high feed costs. The margin insurance program replaces existing dairy programs including the Milk Income Loss Contract program and the Dairy Price Support Program. Farmers who choose to sign up for the margin insurance program will then be enrolled in the Market Stabilization program through which they will be asked to manage their milk supply when worst-case conditions appear.
MMPA is a member-owned and operated cooperative serving over 2,100 dairy farmers throughout Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana.