Micheal Clements, NAFB News Service

Two U.S. Representatives from Wisconsin are asking the Trump administration to provide clear and direct guidance for dairy farmers accessing the new Paycheck Protection Program. Democrat Ron Kind and Republican Mike Gallagher sent a letter to the Small Business Administration and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin seeking the guidance. Without additional guidance on PPP, many dairy operations could lose out on this vital lifeline and may not survive, according to the lawmakers. Representative Kind says, “The Administration needs to move quickly to ensure there aren’t any more delays for our small business owners and farmers,” calling the uncertainty “unacceptable.”  The COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to threaten Wisconsin’s already struggling dairy economy, with some farmers being forced to dispose of thousands of gallons of fresh milk daily due to a drop in demand for dairy products typically consumed in schools, restaurants, and food services. For the past two years, Wisconsin has led the nation in farm bankruptcies with an average of two dairy farms closing a day.