CONGRESSMAN BISHOP WORKS WITH AG SECRETARY VILSACK TO DELIVER HELP TO DAIRY FARMERS
January 24, 2023
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) applauded the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s announcement of additional assistance to America's dairy farmers. This includes a second round of payments through the Pandemic Market Volatility Assistance Program (PMVAP) and a new Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP). These programs will help support dairy operations recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and overcoming economic challenges.
"I was able to work closely with Secretary Vilsack to make sure our dairy farmers get the resources they need to fully recover from the recent pandemic and its ripple effects on our economy and supply chain which have hurt their bottom line," said Congressman Bishop. "Through a combination of existing and new programs, we are ensuring our dairy producers can continue to market their milk and get a fair price for it so that they can support their families, maintain their farms, and feed America."
"As we enter 2023, Georgia dairy farmers are still feeling the effects of the pandemic and the market volatility it created. This second round of PMVAP payments comes after a year of skyrocketing input costs and shrinking margins for our producers," said Bryce Trotter, Executive Director, Georgia Milk Producers, Inc. "Thanks to the leadership of Congressman Bishop, our farmers will be able to continue investing in their operations so that Georgia, and especially Southwest Georgia, can continue to be one of the fastest growing regions for milk production in the country."
PMVAP assists producers who received a lower value due to market abnormalities caused by the pandemic and ensuing Federal policies. More information about the PMVAP is available at www.ams.usda.com/pmvap.
The new ODMAP, to be administered by USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA), is intended to help small- and mid-sized organic dairy farms that have faced a unique set of challenges and higher costs over the past several years that have been compounded by the ongoing pandemic and drought conditions across the country.
Funding for ODMAP will be provided through unused Commodity Credit Corporation funds remaining from earlier pandemic assistance programs. The assistance will help eligible organic dairy producers with up to 75 percent of their future projected marketing costs in 2023, based on national estimates of marketing costs. This program is still in development and a Notice of Funds Availability will be released later this year. You can learn more and follow updates about the Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program at www.farmers.gov.
###