WASHINGTON, D.C. (Reuters) – House and Senate negotiators approved $350 million US in special aid to U.S. dairy farmers on Sept. 30 to help them survive the lowest farmgate price for milk in three decades.
The assistance was included in a $121 billion annual spending bill for the agriculture department and related agencies in fiscal 2010, up $14 billion from the current fiscal year. Fiscal years open each Oct 1.
More than two-thirds of the money, $82.8 billion, will go to U.S. nutrition programs such as school lunch and food stamps.
Food stamp enrolment hit a record 35.85 million people in July, the latest month for which figures are available and the seventh month in a row to set a record. Enrolment is up by 3.65 million people since the start of the year.
About $290 million of the dairy assistance will be spent in direct aid to dairy farmers and $60 million will be used to buy cheese and other products for use in U.S. nutrition programs.
USDA will decide how to allot the money to farmers.
