STANDING IN WYOMING COUNTY – #1 DAIRY COUNTY IN NY – SCHUMER REVEALS: CRITICAL FED DAIRY PROGRAM IN LIMBO FOR WESTERN NY FARMERS, LAUNCHES PUSH TO ENSURE WE DON’T GO OVER THE “DAIRY CLIFF” AND PROTECT CRITICAL MONTHLY PAYMENTS FOR NY DAIRY FARMERS

“Dairy Margin Coverage Program” Schumer Helped Enact Will Expire This December, Meaning Without Fed Action Monthly Payments To Dairy Farmers – Including In Wyoming County Which Has Highest # Of Dairy Cows In NY & Is Top Milk Producer – Could Cease

Schumer Says Upstate Dairy Farms and Consumers Will Be First Impacted If We “Go Over The Dairy Cliff” – Reverting Back To 1940's-Era Policy, Leading To Severe Supply Chain Disruptions, Increasing Price Of Milk, And Causing Billions In Avoidable Fed Spending

Schumer: We Cannot Afford To Let Fed Support For WNY Dairies Spoil, Must Extend Vital Fed Dairy Program

Standing at Breezyhill Dairy, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer today revealed that the vital Dairy Margin Coverage Program (DMC) Western NY dairy farmers rely on is in limbo as the program is set to expire, which could have farmers facing a “dairy cliff,’ – an outcome that could double wallop farmers and consumers.

Schumer explained the DMC, which offers monthly price support payments from the feds to dairy farmers, will end in December and if no action is taken would lead to less support for our farmers, severe supply chain disruptions, and an increase in the price of milk. Schumer said it is imperative we protect this program to ensure Upstate New York dairy farmers have the support and safety net they need.

“Wyoming County is the heart of Upstate New York’s dairy industry, as one of our top milk producing counties and with more dairy cows than anywhere in the state. But by the end of this year many could be looking over a ‘dairy cliff’ that threatens lifeline payments, puts the industry in limbo, and increases the price of milk,” said Senator Schumer. “The Dairy Margin Coverage Program is essential to support our farmers, like Breezyhill Dairy, and to keep the best quality milk made from New York farms flowing to families across America. Thanksgiving tables across the country this week will have dishes that are only possible because of our hardworking Upstate NY dairy farmers and we need to make sure they have the support they need to keep doing their amazing work. I helped enact the Dairy Margin Coverage Program in the 2018 Farm Bill and it is imperative we extend it before it expires at the end of this year. I will not stop fighting to ensure this critical program and safety net for our Upstate dairy farmers is protected.”

Amanda Krenning-Muoio, New York Farm Bureau Senior Field Advisor said, “We appreciate Senator Schumer’s focus on extending the Dairy Margin Program to support for our New York Dairy farms and help ensure this vital safety net program does not lapse.”

Kevin Ellis, CEO of Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Inc. said, “ We are pleased that Senator Schumer recognizes the importance of extending the Farm Bill for farmers in New York and across the Northeast. While we were pleased to see the release of the Senate Agriculture Committee's version of the Farm Bill, we recognize that it is most important to provide farmers with the reassurances provided by the Dairy Margin Coverage Program (DMC). Without action, Programs like DMC will expire at the end of this year. We support Senator Schumer's efforts for an extension until an agreement can be reached on a new five-year Farm Bill.”

Schumer explained the ‘dairy cliff’ refers to the expiration of the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program, a risk management tool that offers protection to dairy producers when the difference between the all-milk price and the average feed price (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer. If Congress doesn’t pass a farm bill extension and the DMC is allowed to lapse, the dairy industry would be the first impacted, as dairy farmers would lose out on monthly payments through the DMC, whereas farmers participating in other support programs are paid just once per year around harvest time. If we were to “go over the dairy cliff” that would mean:

1. An end to monthly price support payments to dairy farmers who participate in the Dairy Margin Coverage program
2. Massive supply chain disruptions that could reduce access to fluid milk, increase the price of dairy products, and have lasting impacts on farmers, families, and food banks
3. Billions of dollars in avoidable federal government spending

These impacts would be felt especially hard in Wyoming County, which is New York’s #2 milk producing county and according to the most recent USDA Census of Agriculture, #29 in America. Wyoming County sells about $305 million worth of cow’s milk every year, representing roughly 72 percent of all profits from agricultural products sold in the county. Wyoming County is home to over 47,500 dairy cows and markets over 115 million pounds of milk annually, with each farm producing on average 1.21 million pounds of milk. 97 percent of the farms in Wyoming County are family farms, most being second or third generation family owned farms.

Breezyhill Dairy is a fifth and sixth-generation family-owned farm located in Strykersville, New York, and has been a cornerstone of Wyoming County agriculture since its founding by Nicholas and Mary Catherine in 1870. The Almeter family, which owns Breezyhill Dairy, is deeply committed to their community and the farming industry, providing leadership and educational opportunities to develop future agricultural professionals. Recognized as Wyoming County’s 2019 Agricultural Good Neighbors, the farm was honored for its outstanding farming practices, which prioritize environmental stewardship and animal welfare.

Failing to extend this provision and going over the dairy cliff would not only negatively impact payments to dairy farmers, but it would also cause massive market disruption for larger factories as well as smaller dairy operations like Breezyhill Dairy, major price increases for consumers, and avoidable increases in government spending. Schumer explained that the only way to avoid going over the dairy cliff is for Congress to come together in a bipartisan fashion, as they have always done, to reauthorize these programs in the next Farm Bill. The senator explained that the Farm Bill is usually enacted every five to seven years. Although the current Farm Bill, which was passed in 2018, expired on September 30, 2023, Congress passed a one-year extension of the 2018 farm bill last September and has until December 31, 2024 to pass another extension before potentially detrimental impacts to farmers begin, including going over the dairy cliff.

The dairy industry would begin to see severe impacts starting January 1, 2025. If no farm bill extension is passed and the DMC is allowed to lapse, the country would be forced to revert back to 1940’s agriculture policy. Farmers would lose the support and protection offered by the DMC and the law would require the federal government to stabilize prices by taking milk off the market through milk purchases. The government would be required to purchase milk at a price that is more than double the current market price, which could cost the federal government billions of dollars in otherwise avoidable spending and could result in price increases being passed onto consumers, which would have devastating impacts on consumers and nutrition programs that offer milk and dairy products to people in need. The availability of fluid milk and dairy products could also be impacted; consumers could see fewer options in stores and food manufacturers could see less dairy product availability for products like baby formula, protein powder, and other products that use dairy ingredients. The widespread supply chain and market disruption caused by the DMC’s expiration would have devastating impacts on the dairy industry, farmers, and consumers across the country.

The dairy industry is one of New York's largest contributors to the agricultural economy. According to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Dairy statistics, there are nearly 3,000 dairy farms in New York that produce over 16.1 billion pounds of milk annually, making New York the nation’s fifth largest dairy state.

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