CHENANGO COUNTY – The vast majority of Chenango County’s dairy farmers have already received compensation through the USDA’s Dairy Economic Loss Assistance Program, according to a local representative from the federal agency. Those who haven’t still have a few days to complete the application process before next Tuesday’s application deadline.

According to USDA Program Technician Alisha Parry, who works out of the Farm Service Agency office in Norwich, all but a handful of Chenango’s dairy farmers were automatically processed without having to fill out an application because the agency already had their information on file as a result of their participation in the federal Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program.

Parry said her agency was required to file the pertinent production information for those farms by Dec. 21, just days after DELAP was announced on Dec. 17.

Those who do not already have their information on file with the FSA, have until Jan. 19 to apply for the one-time direct payment. In order to do so, they must provide production records from February through July 2009. Producers with an annual average adjusted gross nonfarm income over $500,000 are not eligible for the program