U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Meets with Dairy Farmers in La Crosse and Altoona

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin met with Wisconsin dairy farmers in La Crosse and Altoona today to discuss the major investments and significant improvements to dairy programs that she fought to be included in the bipartisan Senate budget agreement.

At each event, dairy farmers in attendance acknowledged that Senator Baldwin’s efforts, including securing $1 billion for the Dairy Margin Protection Program (MPP) and improvements to dairy programs, will help provide much-needed, immediate relief as they face difficult dairy market conditions.

“Wisconsin’s dairy industry is a key driver of our state’s agricultural economy and a core part of our rural communities,” said Senator Baldwin. “The dairy farmers I met with today agree: Washington has been far too slow to recognize the challenges facing our agriculture economy. That’s why I worked to make sure the Senate’s bipartisan budget agreement includes the tools we need to act quickly in the face of this crisis. I am proud we secured this much-needed relief for our dairy farmers. We are doing right by them and Wisconsin’s rural economy.”

Since 2014, prices have dropped by over a third and dairy farmers have faced these difficult market conditions without a reliable safety net. In January, Senator Baldwin sent a letter to Senate leadership urging them to protect the economic security of the nation’s dairy farmers and update and expand the Dairy MPP in advance of the Farm Bill to provide better risk management tools for family farmers.  Unfortunately, the program has not worked as intended due to last minute cuts from House Republicans and implementation problems at USDA.

The bipartisan plan that passed Congress would fix problems with the old MPP and provide a pathway to new, customizable insurance tools in the future.

Specifically, the bipartisan proposal would:

• Make a Significant Investment for Dairy—Invest over $1 billion into the dairy safety net for family dairy farmers.
• Increase Affordability—Eliminates or slashes premiums by up to 80 percent for small and medium dairy farms.
• Target Those Most in Need—Waives administrative fees for beginning, veteran, and underserved farmers.
• Make Farmer-Friendly Improvements—Makes the program more responsive to drops in prices and increases in feed costs, and triggers payments more quickly.
• Allow Flexibility—Provides farmers with an immediate chance to sign-up or change coverage levels for 2018 coverage.
• Create New Opportunities for Insurance—Removes arbitrary limits on developing new dairy insurance tools in the future, allowing for the creation of customizable dairy risk management tools.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.

Recent Press Releases by U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin

Senators Baldwin, Casey, Collins Introduce ‘Esther’s Law’ to Ban Deadly Water Beads and Protect Kids

May 9th, 2024 by U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin

Bill named for 10-month-old Esther Jo Bethard of North Prairie, WI, who passed away after swallowing a stray water bead

Baldwin Announces Over $17.7 Million to Tackle Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis in Wisconsin

May 7th, 2024 by U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin

Wisconsin receives increased funding following the passage of Baldwin-led legislation

Baldwin, Bipartisan Group of Senators Urge USDA to Strengthen Coordination in Avian Flu Outbreak Response

May 7th, 2024 by U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin

Letter comes after Baldwin called on Biden Administration to take immediate action to contain the avian flu outbreak and protect dairy farmers, producers, and consumers