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You may have already received the following information from the Ohio Dairy Producers Association if you are a member.  The American Dairy Association Mideast has been working with ODPA to lift fluid milk purchasing limits in grocery stores and we wanted to be share this update.
Emergency Funding for Foodbanks
The Ohio Association of Foodbanks has requested $25 million in emergency state funding to respond to an unprecedented need for emergency food created by the COVID-10 pandemic. The Ohio Dairy Producers Association, with support from DFA Mideast Area and National Farmers Organization, sent a letter to Governor DeWine urging him to approve this funding request.

This funding would allow Ohio’s 12 Feeding America foodbanks and its pantry network of 3,600 local organizations to immediately procure nutritious milk and dairy products, as well as other food and essential items, to feed families in need.

 
Read the Letter
Milk Purchasing Limits Being Lifted
In response to grocery stores limiting milk purchases, the American Dairy Association Mideast proactively reached out to dairy farmers and social media followers to share what they were seeing in their stores. ODPA supported this effort by engaging the Ohio Department of Agriculture and the Ohio Farm Bureau to assist.

This outreach collectively resulted in news coverage and social media seen by millions of people. ADA Mideast has directly received over 1,600 comments and emails reporting purchasing limits on fluid milk in their local stores. 

Armed with this information, ODPA and ADA Mideast staff are working with Ohio’s dairy processors and their sales team to assure retailers there is a steady supply of milk to meet grocery stores’ increased needs during this time.
 
The dairy associations also enlisted of the help of the Ohio Grocers Association to issue a special alert to retailers to lift their milk purchasing limits. In addition, Governor DeWine and his administration were informed of the situation and provided messaging to help reassure consumers that there is not a shortage of milk and dairy foods.

To date, Kroger, Walmart, Sparkle and Discount Drug Mart stores have confirmed that they are removing their limits on milk purchases. Conversations are underway with other retailers including Giant Eagle, Meijer and Aldi. 

 
Read the Ohio Grocers Association Alert
Additional COVID-19 Resources for Dairy Farmers
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) continues to update its coronavirus information resource page, www.nmpf.org/coronavirus. New documents added last week include: What Farmers Need to Know About Sick Leave Requirements, Recommended Protocols When a Dairy Farm Employee Tests Positive for COVID-19, and Temporary Guidance for Veterinarians & Producers about Telemedicine and the VCPR. The Ohio Dairy Producers Association is an associate member of NMPF. 
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American Dairy Association Mideast · 2800 Corporate Exchange Drive · Suite 260 · Columbus, OH 43231 · USA