MADISON — Secretary-designee Brad Pfaff is encouraging Wisconsin producers to take advantage of USDA-provided resources to assist both dairy and crop farmers facing the challenges of low prices and late planting.
Signup begins today for the new Dairy Margin Coverage program, or DMC. In addition, crop farmers need to remember deadlines for reporting failed or prevented planting if they plan to claim coverage under federal programs.
Pfaff, who leads the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, said, “Many farmers are facing feed shortages because of alfalfa winterkill the resulted from very harsh winter weather this year, so they’re having to buy feed at high prices at the same time the milk prices are low.
“At the same time, many have been unable to get into their fields to replant alfalfa or other forage crops, or to plant corn and soybeans. And in some cases, they were able to plant, but the seeds or seedlings got washed away in this exceptionally wet spring. They need relief, and we strongly encourage them to take the steps to work with the USDA and recover at least some of their losses.”
