A margin protection program that provides an income safety net for family dairy farms is having negative consequences for Connecticut dairy farmers, according to U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney.
The Connecticut Democrat has introduced bipartisan legislation to bring equity to the federal system used to determine the price dairy farmers are paid for their milk. Courtney said using national average feed cost, which reflects conditions that predominate in the Midwest and elsewhere, puts Northeast dairy farmers at a disadvantage.
“The system established under the recent Farm Bill puts farming operations in our region at a competitive disadvantage, and our farmers have asked that we take action to level the playing field,” said Courtney.
He and other sponsors said the prices local farmers are paid reflect the cost of feed in states where energy, labor and transportation are a lot cheaper. The Dairy Margin Insurance Location Calculation Act of 2016, which was introduced April 11, amends the Farm Bill to require the Secretary of Agriculture to use data from each state to calculate average feed cost and actual dairy production margins.
