Deadline For The Margin Protection Plan September 30 – AG Matters

If discussions about the Margin Protection Plan makes your eyes roll, hang on.  It appears the deadline for enrolling in the program will be the end of September. Cornell Cooperative Extension's Marylynn Collins offers some insight.  

Marylynn says rumors say the deadline for MPP Sign Up is September 30th, 2015.

I wouldn’t be surprised if we hear of an extension to this second round of Margin Protection Plan sign ups. Given the brief and relatively low pay outs of this program, coupled with the anticipated margins for the remaining two periods of 2015 (September-October: $10.41; November-December $10.45), the level of participation for 2016 is questionable. Any possible extension to the sign up period would allow time for producers to acquire a better sense of fall harvest yields as well as the chance to monitor the futures market for 2016 milk prices.

Remember that for those producers who signed up in 2014, you are committed to this MPP for the life of the Farm Bill and therefore are still expected to select your coverage level and percentage of milk you wish to have covered. If you don’t personally communicate these selections at the FSA office your farm will automatically be signed up at the $4.00 margin level and will still be expected to pay the $100 enrollment fee. Please note that the 25% reduction in premium payments that was offered to producers who enrolled in MPP in 2014 does not exist for those signing up this year.

Prior to stopping into the FSA office you might consider using the on line tools and resources for decision making that can be found at the Dairy Markets website.  Please contact us at CCE Oneida if you need assistance with these resources. For specific questions on the Margin Protection Program contact FSA at 315-736-3316.

SOURCE: Cornell Cooperative Extension - Marylynn Collins