2026 Dairy Margin Coverage Enrollment Now Open

By Blake Jackson

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball announced that enrollment for the 2026 Dairy Margin Coverage Program (DMC) is now open.

Dairy farmers can register at their local USDA Farm Services Agency (FSA) office to participate in this risk management program, which provides financial support when the margin the difference between the national all-milk price and the national average feed cost falls below the coverage level chosen by the producer.

“Risk management tools are an important part of staying ahead of the many uncertainties our industry faces today from the weather to market cycles," Commissioner Ball said. "The Dairy Margin Coverage Program is one of those tools, allowing producers to select the level of protection best suited to their business. I encourage New York dairy farmers to take advantage of this program to help ease some of the economic hardship when margins fluctuate.”

The DMC program is open to commercial dairy operations of all sizes. Participating producers can select the coverage level that best fits their operation and have the flexibility to adjust it each year during the open enrollment period.

Enrollment for 2026 runs through February 26, 2026. Farmers can find more information about the program and how to apply online or locate their nearest FSA office at https://www.farmers.gov/working-with-us/service-center-locator.

An online decision tool is also available to help dairy farmers determine the coverage level that offers the strongest protection under various market conditions. Producers can review historical data, project future scenarios, and calculate their coverage needs.

New York is home to roughly 3,000 dairy farms producing over 16 billion pounds of milk annually, ranking the state as the nation’s fifth-largest dairy producer.

The dairy sector is New York’s largest agricultural industry, generating nearly half of the state’s total agricultural receipts and providing significant economic contributions through jobs and community support.

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