The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoard’s Dairyman.

The National Milk Producers Federation expressed appreciation to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and the U.S. Department of Agriculture for including $120 million of cheese and butter among $470 million in Section 32 food purchases it announced today. The purchases are scheduled to occur in the next two months and are in addition to purchases previously announced in the CARES Act funding.

“These Section 32 purchases will help both Americans who need high-quality nutritious food as well as U.S. dairy farmers who are experiencing unprecedented losses from the COVID-19 national emergency,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF, the largest U.S. dairy-farmer organization. “The purchases will provide important and needed support to the dairy supply chain. We look forward to learning more details and to continue working with USDA on possible additional purchases.”

The National Milk Producers Federation, based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. NMPF’s member cooperatives produce more than two-thirds of U.S. milk, making NMPF dairy’s voice on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. For more, visit www.nmpf.org.