The Maryland Department of Agriculture is partnering with University of Maryland Extension and the USDA’s Farm Service Agency to put on three regional meetings for dairy farmers in Carroll, Kent and Washington counties June 12-14.

The meetings will provide information on available risk management tools, including FSA’s Dairy Margin Coverage program and a new state cost-share program that will cover its premium costs for Maryland farmers.

“Dairy farmers across the country have been struggling with low milk prices and high feed costs for years,” says Joe Bartenfelder, state agriculture secretary. “We want to make sure our department is doing everything we can to help Maryland dairy farmers through these tough times. I encourage all of our dairy farmers to attend one of these regional meetings and learn more about the risk management options available at the state and federal level.”

Gov. Larry Hogan included $1.5 million in his supplemental budget to pay premium costs for dairy farmers participating in the new DMC program. The state program will cover Tier I production in 2019 — up to 5 million pounds of milk produced — at the $9.50 margin coverage level. Premiums will be paid directly from the department to FSA on behalf of Maryland producers. Farmers can begin signing up for the DMC program at their local FSA field office starting June 17.

“The Farm Service Agency is proud to work with Maryland on administering $1.5 million in state funds to support our dairy farmers,” says Jim Eichhorst, executive director of Maryland FSA.

Each meeting will start at 10 a.m. and end by noon. Contact Mark Powell for more information at 410-841-5775 or [email protected].

Meeting locations

• June 12. Washington County Extension Office, 7303 Sharpsburg Pike, Boonsboro.

• June 13. Carroll County Extension Office, 700 Agricultural Center Drive, Westminster. This meeting will also be available via livestream at the Harford County Extension Office, 3525 Conowingo Road, Suite 600, Street; and the Baltimore County Extension Office, 1114 Shawan Road, Cockeysville, Md.

• June 14. Kent County Extension Office, 709 Morgnec Road No. 202, Chestertown.

Source: Maryland Department of Agriculture, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.