While many farmers and ranchers have been successful in reducing their carbon footprint, making significant new progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions will require government assistance and new financial incentives, especially now that farmers are struggling to cope with depressed commodity prices, senators were told Tuesday.

Dairy farmers considering whether to sign up for the new farm bill benefits should consider this: Milk prices are likely to remain relatively stagnant for several years due in part to consolidation that has made many farms less responsive to market signals.

Despite the 35-day shutdown that all but halted work on the new farm bill, USDA is close to finishing work on a timeline for implementing its revisions to programs.

Dairy analysts are urging milk producers who rejected the old Margin Protection Program to consider signing up for the new version created by the 2018 farm bill because it’s far more likely to provide payments than MPP.

The government shutdown that is now in its second week short-circuited the USDA’s implementation of the 2018 farm bill just as it was getting launched.