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

The Foremost Farms USA Cooperative was awarded a $1,751,874.85 cooperative agreement by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service under the Pandemic Market Volatility Assistance Program (PMVAP) with a completion date of December 31, 2024.

Under this award, Foremost Farms will distribute Pandemic Market Volatility Assistance Program monies to dairy farmers who received a lower value for their milk due to market abnormalities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and related federal policies. Foremost Farms must obtain adjusted gross income attestations from eligible producers, issue Form 1099-MISC to each reflecting their payment, provide documentation that payments were made according to program rules, and provide dairy policy education to eligible producers. All PMVAP monies must be disbursed to eligible dairy farmers. Foremost Farms will also document their dairy policy education efforts and be subject to payment verification by USDA staff. No subrecipient activities are included in 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.