Distribute pandemic marketvolatility assistance program monies to dairy farmers who received alower value due to market abnormalities caused by the pandemic andensuing federal policies

Under a $295,113 Cooperative Agreement awarded by the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service, Cedar Valley Cheese, Inc. will distribute Pandemic Market Volatility Assistance Program (PMVAP) funds to eligible dairy farmers. The PMVAP, authorized under the CFDA 10.183 program, provides $295k in pandemic assistance payments through agreements with raw milk buyers to dairy farmers who received lower values due to 2020 market abnormalities resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic and corresponding federal policies.

Cedar Valley Cheese will disburse the full PMVAP funding amount to eligible producers by the June 30, 2022 completion date. Additional responsibilities include obtaining adjusted gross income attestations, issuing 1099-MISC forms, documenting payment compliance, and providing dairy policy education to beneficiaries. Eligible dairy farmers marketed raw milk to a federally regulated handler between July and December 2020. No sub-recipient activities are involved.

Recipients will disburse pmvap monies toeligible producers. In additional, recipients must obtain adjustedgross income attestations from eligible producers, issue 1099-misc toeach producer reflecting their pmvap payment, provide documentationpayments were made in accordance to program rules, and provide dairypolicy education to eligible producers. Recipients will disburse allpmvap monies to eligible producers, provide and document dairy policyeducation efforts, and be subject to payment verification by USDA staff.dairy farmers whose milk we marketed to a federal milk marketing orderregulated handler during july through december 2020 are the intendedbeneficiaries. There are no subrecipient activities.