USDA pondering dairy export program; funds for Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program

Washington Ag Today May 1, 2009 Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told farm broadcasters visiting Washington D.C. this week the USDA is looking at other options that may be available to help dairy producers. Milk prices to producers are likely to drop one third from last year and nearly all are operating in the red now. Vilsack: "We are examining at this point export assistance, the export assistance program. I can't commit to you today because we have to work through the system." That is the Dairy Export Incentive Program or DEIP, which has been on the books for 24 years but hasn't been activated for five years. Under DEIP the Department of Agriculture pays cash to exporters as bonuses, allowing them to sell certain U.S. dairy products at prices lower than the exporter's costs of acquiring them. Washington state is getting nearly 250-thousand dollars from the USDA for the Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program. The program provides low-income seniors with coupons that can be exchanged for fresh produce at farmers' markets, roadside stands and community supported agriculture programs. The Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program is intended to provide fresh, nutritious, locally grown, fruits and vegetables to low-income seniors and to increase the consumption of agricultural commodities by expanding or aiding in the development of farmers' markets and other outlets. Washington has over 125 farmers' markets. I'm Bob Hoff and that's Washington Ag Today on the Northwest Ag Information Network.