The 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) sign-up has opened as of Wednesday this week, through April 29. Those signing up may receive payment as soon as March 4 for any payments triggered in January this year. National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) said dairy farmers are pleased to have the certainty of knowing when DMC program sign-up is beginning, an issue corrected after previous versions of the farm bill.

Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Zach Ducheneaux encourages producers to enroll in this important safety net program. He says more than $1.2 billion in DMC payments were issued in 2023. The voluntary risk management program offers protection to dairy producers when the all-milk price and the average feed price fall below a specific dollar amount.

Read more on DMC sign-up here.