State, Federal Partners to Host Risk Management Meetings for Maryland Dairy Farmers

Meetings will cover Dairy Margin Coverage program, state cost-share program

ANNAPOLIS, MD – The Maryland Department of Agriculture is partnering with the University of Maryland Extension and United States Department of Agriculture’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 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 Hogan included $1.5 million in his supplemental budget to pay premium costs for dairy farmers participating in the new 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 up for the DMC program at their local FSA field office starting June 17.

“The Farm Service Agency is proud to work with Maryland 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 Shawan Rd., Cockeysville, Md. 21030.
• June 14 – Kent County Extension Office, 709 Morgnec Road #202, Chestertown, Md. 21620

# # #

Follow Maryland Department of Agriculture on Twitter @MdAgDept