Dairy farmers to get $200 million in aid

BANGOR — U.S. Rep. John Baldacci announced Monday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has completed details for a $200 million program to help dairy farmers. Through the new Dairy Income Loss Assistance Program, many Maine farmers will be eligible to receive up to $5,000 in federal aid. Baldacci, who serves on the House Agriculture Committee, met with Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman in February to push for federal relief.

The program will benefit dairy farmers facing financial difficulties because of market conditions. Smaller farms, Baldacci says, have been hard hit by declining milk prices, as much as 35 percent in the past 15 years.

Dairy farmers who produced milk during the last quarter of calendar year 1998 are eligible to apply for assistance. The USDA will make payments based on a dairy operation’s first 26,000 hundredweight of milk produced in 1997 or 1998, whichever is highest. The final payment rate per hundredweight will be calculated after the application period ends.

Officials estimate the maximum benefits under the program will be $5,000 per dairy operation. Farmers will get their checks in June.

Farmers may apply at their local USDA Farm Service Agency office from April 12 to May 21.