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 Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service awarded Sargento Foods Inc. a $109,166.13 cooperative agreement under the Pandemic Market Volatility Assistance Program (PMVAP) from April 19, 2023 to December 31, 2024.

As the recipient of PMVAP funding, Sargento Foods will distribute $109,166.13 in pandemic assistance payments to eligible dairy farmers. The company will obtain adjusted gross income attestations and issue 1099-MISC forms to producers reflecting their individual payments. Required documentation of payment distribution according to program rules and the provision of dairy policy education services to eligible farmers will also be carried out under this award. The intended beneficiaries are dairy farmers who marketed raw milk to a federally regulated milk marketing order handler from July through December 2020.

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.