In early July, Greek yogurtmaker Chobani LLC announced a program designed to increase supply chain transparency and boost consumer confidence when making dairy product purchases – and provide a premium to participating dairy farmers and their workers.

Dairy producers signing up for the highest level of Tier 1 coverage under the 2019 Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program are ensured indemnity payments for a sixth consecutive month. And, with feed costs climbing faster than milk prices, the June payment will be the highest since February.

From school wellness to food security, the summer of 2019 has been filled with activities and events designed to educate and serve others, while promoting dairy. Here’s a look at a just a few.

Digest Highlights

• St. Albans Cooperative Creamery members approve merger with DFA
• Dairy Margin Coverage payments reach $158 million
• USDA to purchase $68 million in dairy products
• California Dairies Inc. names Anderson president and CEO
• April fluid sales revised upward
• Hearings set on Wisconsin livestock facility siting rule
• Large California dairy biogas operation completed

Digest Highlights

• Dean Foods names new president and CEO
• June 2019 dairy cow slaughter rate dips
• Semiannual cow and heifer survey shows dairy decline
• California dairy groups start QIP process
• U of I acquires site for dairy research complex
• IDF publishes second ‘Dairy Sustainability Outlook’
• Dairy Protein Messaging Initiative launches new website
• Horizon Organic teaming up with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
• Foremost Farms president/CEO to retire

Editor’s note: This article has been updated with additional details on the amount of the initial dairy payment. Dairy producers will receive 20 cents per hundredweight (cwt) on their annual milk production history under a USDA program aimed at offsetting negative financial impacts of ongoing trade and tariff wars.

The USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) updated Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program participation on July 22, noting year-to-date indemnity payments to dairy operations enrolling in the program for 2019 had reached $145 million.

About one in five dairy operations purchasing Dairy Revenue Protection (Dairy-RP) insurance through Compeer Financial received an indemnity payment in the first quarter of 2019, according to Josh Newton, crop insurance team leader. Dairy-RP is designed to insure dairy farms against unexpected declines in quarterly revenue from milk sales relative to a guaranteed coverage level.

June 2019 U.S. milk production was below year-ago levels, according to the USDA’s monthly Milk Production report, released July 22.

Digest Highlights

• May fluid sales down a little
• Dairy margins start July steady to weaker
• Pennsylvania proposal extends dairy dealer-producer contract termination notice
• USDA tool aids loan search
• Light-protected milk unveiled
• New York to enact Farm Laborers Fair Labor Practices Act
• USDEC to receive $2.5 million in Ag Trade Promotion funding
• 4,500-cow MVP Dairy hosts open house