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

The Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service awarded Smithfoods Inc. a $1,089,039 cooperative agreement under the Pandemic Market Volatility Assistance Program (PMVAP) to distribute pandemic assistance payments to dairy farmers. Smithfoods will disburse all PMVAP monies received to eligible dairy farmers who marketed raw milk to a federally regulated handler between July and December 2020. The company must obtain adjusted gross income attestations, issue 1099-MISC forms, and provide documentation demonstrating payments were properly issued according to program rules. Smithfoods is also required to provide dairy policy education efforts to eligible producers and be subject to payment verification by USDA staff. The period of performance is January 31, 2022 through June 30, 2022. There are no subrecipient activities associated with this award.

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.