Beaver County News

HARRISBURG – The Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee has unanimously approved a bill proposed by Sens. Elder Vogel Jr. (R-47) and Judy Schwank (D-11) aimed at providing financial assistance to Pennsylvania dairy farmers. Senate Bill 1229 will allow the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to offer financial support to producers who enroll in the federal Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) Program, contingent on funding availability. The department is tasked with developing guidelines and eligibility criteria for this assistance.

“With June being national dairy month, there’s no better time to show support for our dairy farmers than by passing our Dairy Margin Coverage Program legislation,” said Vogel, majority chair of the committee. “In an industry full of uncertainty, it’s important to provide our dairymen and women with the security and stability they deserve when prices drop. Farmers are no stranger to managing risk and Senate Bill 1229 will provide them with valuable options to protect themselves and their operations.”

“Senate Bill 1229 is a key component of the long-term sustainability of our dairy industry and provides an incentive for farmers to join the federal Dairy Margin Coverage Program,” said Schwank, minority chair of the committee. “Dairy is a major contributor to our commonwealth’s robust agriculture sector, and this bill demonstrates our commitment to protecting the livelihoods of dairy farmers.”

The federal DMC program, authorized in the 2018 Farm Bill, is voluntary and offers risk management coverage that compensates producers when the margin between the national price of milk and the average cost of feed falls below a selected level.

Senate Bill 1229 now awaits consideration by the full Senate.

CONTACT:

Abby Chiumento, 717-787-3076 (Vogel)

Spencer Thornburg, 610-929-2151 (Schwank)