Press Release
The Maryland Department of Agriculture is partnering University of Maryland Extension and USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) to host three regional meetings for dairy farmers in Carroll, Kent and Washington counties, June 12-14. The meetings will provide information on available risk management tools, including USDA FSA’s Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program and a new state cost-share program that will cover its premium costs for Maryland farmers.
“Dairy farmers across the country have been struggling with low milk prices and high feed costs for years,” said Agriculture Secretary Joe Bartenfelder. “We want to make sure our department is doing everything we can to help Maryland dairy farmers through these tough times. I encourage all of our dairy farmers to attend one of these regional meetings and learn more about the risk management options available at the state and federal level.”
Governor Larry Hogan included $1.5 million in his supplemental budget to pay premium costs for dairy farmers participating in the new federal DMC program. The state program will cover Tier I production in 2019 (up to 5 million pounds of milk produced) at the $9.50 margin coverage level. Premiums will be paid directly from the department to FSA on behalf of Maryland producers. Farmers can begin signing for the DMC program at their local FSA field office starting June 17.
“The Farm Service Agency is proud to work with MDA on administering $1.5 million in state funds to support our dairy farmers,” said Maryland FSA State Executive Director Jim Eichhorst.
Each meeting will start at 10 a.m. and end at noon. Meeting locations are listed below. Contact Mark Powell for more information at (410) 841-5775 or mark.powell@maryland.gov.
June 12 – Washington County Extension Office, 7303 Sharpsburg Pike, Boonsboro, Md. 21713
June 13 – Carroll County Extension Office, 700 Agricultural Center Dr., Westminster, Md. 21157
This meeting will also be available via livestream at the Harford County Extension Office, 3525 Conowingo Rd., Suite 600, Street, Md. 21154 and the Baltimore County Extension Office, 1114 Shawana Rd., Cockeysville, MD, 21030.
June 14 – Kent County Extension Office, 709 Morgnec Road #202, Chestertown, Md. 21620