Just in time for the holidays we are implementing the new Dairy Economic Loss Assistance Payment (DELAP) program that will provide critical help to America’s struggling dairy farmers.
Through the DELAP program eligible dairy producers can receive the economic help they need to stabilize their operations during these tough economic time.
Milk prices declined 27 percent during 2009. On average, U.S. dairy farmers made about half of what it cost them to produce the milk during the summer. I have personally heard from hundreds of struggling dairy farmers from all across our country who have been hit hard by declining prices over the past year, and now, we’re able to help them.
Dairy producers who have production records at the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) county office because they participated in another FSA dairy program do not need to apply for the program. FSA will use existing production records for February through July 2009 to calculate and issue their payments to streamline the process.
Producers who have not provided production data for those months to FSA, and have not already been contacted by FSA to provide such data, have 30 days, until Jan. 19, 2010, to apply. We estimate that more than 95 percent of eligible producers will receive benefits without having to fill out a new application.
You can get more information and the eligibility requirements for the new DELAP program at your local FSA county office or on the FNS website.