Help is on the way thanks to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), as it recently announced it will provide assistance for dairy producers with the new Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP). Under the ODMAP, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is making $104 million available to organic dairy operations to assist with projected marketing costs in 2023, which was calculated using their marketing costs in 2022.
“Organic dairy producers have faced significant and unique increases in their marketing costs, compounded by increases in feed and transportation costs and the limited availability of organic grain and forage commodities,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “Without assistance, many organic dairies, particularly small organic dairies, will cease production, which not only impacts the domestic supply and consumption of organic milk but also the well-being of many rural communities across the country. This program will keep our small organic dairies in operation as they continue to weather a combination of challenges outside of their control.”
As noted in the release, ODMAP was established to help mitigate market volatility, higher input and transportation costs, and unstable feed supply and prices that have created unique hardships in the organic dairy industry. ODMAP provides a one-time cost-share payment based on marketing costs on pounds of organic milk marketed in the 2022 calendar year.
FSA will begin accepting applications for ODMAP on May 24, 2023. Eligible producers include certified organic dairy operations that produce milk from cows, goats, and sheep. To apply, producers should contact FSA at their local USDA Service Center. To complete the ODMAP application, producers must certify pounds of 2022 milk production, show documentation of their organic certification, and submit a completed application form.
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