The National Milk Producers Federation called last week for a temporary increase of the Commodity Credit Corporation purchase prices for cheese and nonfat dry milk under the Dairy Product Price Support Program.

In a letter to Secretary Tom Vilsack, NMPF asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to raise the CCC purchase prices for three months to these levels: $1.19 per pound for block cheese, $1.16 per pound for barrel cheese and $0.84 per pound for nonfat dry milk. NMPF proposed these same purchase levels during the FY 2008 farm bill debate, but they were rejected by Congress.

In addition, NMPF urged USDA to extend the Dairy Export Incentive Program (DEIP) on July 1 for program 2010. The invitations that USDA had announced in May for DEIP allocations will expire on Wednesday. IDFA previously reported on the controversial reaction of U.S. global trading partners to the initial round of DEIP.