Industry News

The USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will begin processing Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP-Dairy) payments for participating dairy farmers on June 4, according to a notice sent to state and county FSA offices on May 31. Payments will be issued directly to producers via electronic deposit; there will be no paper checks, according to Wayne Maloney, in the FSA public affairs office, Washington, D.C.

The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy’s seventh annual U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards were presented during a ceremony at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, on May 16.

Interest rates on farm loans continued to increase in the first quarter of 2018, based on quarterly reports from Federal Reserve district banks in the U.S. heartland (Table 1). In most cases, average interest rates on all loan types were the highest since mid-2011 to early 2012.

Dairy farmers who enroll in the 2018 Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP-Dairy) and elect $7, $7.50 or $8 per hundredweight (cwt) margin coverage are now guaranteed indemnity payments for February, March and April milk production. But, they have until the end of the day on Friday, June 1, to take action.

Digest Highlights: The USDA will buy $20 million worth of cheddar cheese. Kentucky grant benefits struggling consumers, producers. Find these and other news summaries affecting dairy farmers here.

Yogurt has long been known as a food that is nutritious and comes with health beneftis. It looks like it now may feature more good news for the heart.