MN bill would expand access to federal program for dairy producers

ST. PAUL, Minn. — A bill that just passed the Minnesota Senate would give money to new dairy farmers in the state.

SF 8332 modifies the eligibility requirement for the Dairy Assistance, Investment, Relief Initiative (DAIRI) that was passed in 2023.

The DAIRI program helps producers pay the cost of joining the Federal Dairy Margin Coverage Program that helps farmers when the price of milk goes drops to a certain level.

Currently, the DAIRI program is only available to producers that were active from 2022 and earlier. Leaving several new dairy producers out of the program.

If passed, the new bill expands the program to include those producers.

Bill author Sen. Rob Kupec says that the money helps dairy farms in the area stay up to date and help them get access to world markets.

“The Federal government has a program – it’s kind of like crop insurance for dairy farmers – and then what Minnesota decided back in 2019, when that program started, was that we would help pay down some of – basically the premium to the Federal government, and it’s been wildly successful. Minnesota has one of the highest participation rates in the Federal program,” Kupec said.

Kupec is optimistic that, assuming the concurrent house bill passes, the DAIRI bill will soon be headed to the governor’s desk to be signed.