Distribute pandemic market volatility assistance program monies to dairy farmers who received a lower value due to market abnormalities caused by the pandemic and ensuing federal policies

Under this $140,258 Cooperative Agreement from the US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service, Wells Dairy will distribute Pandemic Market Volatility Assistance Program (PMVAP) funds to dairy farmers. The purpose of the PMVAP program is to provide assistance payments to dairy farmers who received a lower value for their milk due to market abnormalities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting federal policies.

Wells Dairy will disburse the full PMVAP funds to eligible dairy farmers who marketed milk to a federally regulated milk marketing order handler between July and December 2020. In addition, Wells Dairy must obtain adjusted gross income attestations, issue 1099-MISC forms, provide documentation that payments complied with program rules, and conduct dairy policy education for eligible producers. The agreement period is from December 9, 2021 to June 30, 2022. There are no sub-recipient activities associated with this award.

Recipients will disburse pmvap monies to eligible producers. In additional, recipients must obtain adjusted gross income attestations from eligible producers, issue 1099-misc to each producer reflecting their pmvap payment, provide documentation payments were made in accordance to program rules, and provide dairy policy education to eligible producers. Recipients will disburse all pmvap monies to eligible producers, provide and document dairy policy education efforts, and be subject to payment verification by USDA staff. Dairy farmers whose milk we marketed to a federal milk marketing order regulated handler during july through december 2020 are the intended beneficiaries. There are no subrecipient activities.