The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) Wednesday lauded the House
Agriculture Committee for approving a draft of the 2018 Farm Bill that contains
key dairy policy improvements, a significant first step toward enacting a new
Farm Bill before the current one expires this fall.
Among the provisions of significance to the U.S. dairy industry in the House
bill are additional improvements to the dairy Margin Protection Program (MPP).
The measure raises the maximum covered margin to $9/cwt. and adjusts the
minimum percentage of milk that can be insured; both measures will offer
greater flexibility for dairy producers. It also includes provisions of an
important agreement reached between NMPF and the International Dairy Foods
Association on price risk management.
"It's important that the Farm Bill process continue moving forward,"
said NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern. "As U.S. dairy farmers weather a
fourth-straight year of depressed milk prices, making additional improvements
to the dairy safety net through this farm bill becomes more critical with each
passing day."
The House bill also addresses several other NMPF priorities. The conservation
title helps producers access technical and financial assistance to carry out
multiple conservation practices on their land and water. Under the trade title,
the Farm Bill authorizes the trade promotion programs that are critical to
dairy farmers and their cooperatives. The bill also includes helpful provisions
intended to increase fluid milk consumption. NMPF looks forward to working with
Congress on these issues as the process continues.
In a letter sent to Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX) and Ranking Member Collin
Peterson (D-MN) before the committee's markup, NMPF expressed gratitude for the
members' engagement and efforts in securing the aforementioned NMPF proposals,
and others, in the House bill.