The new Dairy Economic Loss Assistance Payment program provides loss assistance payments to eligible dairy producers to help stabilize their operations during tough economic times.

Milk prices declined substantially through early-to-mid-2009, and on average, the price U.S. dairy producers received for milk marketed in the summer of 2009 was about half of what it cost them to produce milk.

Eligible producers will receive a one-time direct payment based on the amount of milk both produced and commercially marketed by their operation from February through July 2009.

Producers have until Jan. 19 to apply. To be eligible, a dairy producer and the dairy operation in which the producer has a share must have produced milk in the U.S. and marketed milk commercially at any time from February through July 2009; must have milk production data for those months; and must certify to all milk production produced and marketed by the dairy operation during that time.

For more information and eligibility requirements on the DELAP program, visit a local FSA county office or www.fsa.usda.gov.