Organic Dairy Producers Get a Financial Lift from USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has intervened to help organic dairy producers who are encountering serious difficulties in the market. With the launch of the Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP), the USDA aims to alleviate the impact of market volatility, rising input and transportation costs, and unstable feed supply and prices that have been weighing on organic dairy operations.

Under the ODMAP, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is making $104 million available to eligible organic dairy producers. This assistance will be calculated based on their marketing costs in 2022 and will help them cover projected marketing expenses in 2023. The program will provide a one-time cost-share payment based on the volume of organic milk marketed during the 2022 calendar year.

Heidi Secord, FSA Pennsylvania State Executive Director, highlighted the significance of ODMAP for Pennsylvania organic dairy producers, who have been grappling with soaring marketing costs, feed shortages, and transportation challenges. The program comes as a timely lifeline for small organic dairies that would otherwise be at risk of shutting down operations.

Eligible producers in Pennsylvania can begin applying for ODMAP assistance from May 24 to July 24, 2023. The program is open to certified organic dairy operations producing milk from cows, goats, and sheep.

ODMAP's financial assistance is designed to provide immediate support to certified organic dairy operations during 2023, helping them weather the current challenging market conditions until stability returns. The program complements other existing assistance available to dairy producers, such as the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) and Supplemental DMC.

Organic dairy operations seeking assistance under ODMAP must provide documentation of their organic certification for 2022 and 2023, along with the certification of their 2022 milk production in hundredweight.

The USDA is dedicated to making America's food system better and helping local farmers. They want everyone to have access to healthy food and resources. This essential program for organic dairy farmers provides vital support during tough times. The USDA is committed to helping farmers and producers with various initiatives to make their work easier and more successful.

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