FARGO, N.D. — July 21, 2026 — The Agricultural Risk Policy Center at North Dakota State University has released a new report examining the evolution, design, and recent performance of federal dairy safety net programs that help producers manage income, margin, and revenue risk.

The report, U.S. Dairy Safety Net Programs: History, Program Design, and Recent Performance, provides a comprehensive overview of how federal dairy policy has evolved from traditional price support programs to today's portfolio of margin protection and insurance-based risk management tools. It focuses on the three primary active programs available to dairy producers: Dairy Margin Coverage, Dairy Revenue Protection, and Livestock Gross Margin for Dairy.

The report examines how these programs differ in their design, enrollment, coverage, and performance while highlighting broader structural changes within the U.S. dairy industry, including increasing production, industry consolidation, and greater exposure to global markets. It also compares historical and recent participation, payments, premiums, and insurance indemnities to illustrate how federal dairy risk management has changed over time.

"The U.S. dairy industry continues to evolve, and so have the tools available to help producers manage risk," said Dr. Sandro Steinbach, co-author and director of ARPC. "This report provides a practical overview of today's dairy safety net programs and explains how they complement one another to support producer decision-making under changing market conditions."

The report serves as a resource for producers, policymakers, researchers, Extension professionals, and others seeking to better understand the role of Federal dairy safety net programs in supporting agricultural risk management.


The full report is available at: https://bit.ly/4vFoikz


Media Contact:
Agricultural Risk Policy Center (ARPC)
North Dakota State University
arpc@ndsu.edu
www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/arpc