Weekly Digest: NMPF urges more balanced USDA dairy purchases (JAV)

NMPF urges more balanced USDA dairy purchases The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) urged the USDA to maintain dairy product purchases as part of future federal nutrition assistance programs, while also recommending more balance in those purchases to minimize farm-level milk price distortions. Jaime Castaneda, NMPF senior vice president for policy strategy and international trade, made the comments during a USDA listening session on the Farmers to Families Food Box Program. The USDA is soliciting feedback on how it should overhaul or restructure the program implemented last year as part of the federal response to the coronavirus pandemic. Castaneda highlighted the nutritional and economic value delivered by dairy products in federal food assistance programs. He noted, however, that disparity in product purchases “caused tremendous market volatility and unusual pricing challenges throughout the country, including extreme price differentials between neighboring farms.” ...