What is DEIP?
The best short description of the Dairy Export Incentive Program is the following excerpt from USDA’s FAS website:
The Dairy Export Incentive Program (DEIP) helps exporters of U.S. dairy products meet prevailing world prices for targeted dairy products and destinations. Under the program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture pays cash to exporters as bonuses, allowing them to sell certain U.S. dairy products at prices lower than the exporter's costs of acquiring them. The major objective of the program is to develop export markets for dairy products where U.S. products are not competitive because of the presence of subsidized products from other countries.
For more information on DEIP from the USDA/FAS, visit their website [1].
Letter to Under Secretary Keenum - February 2007
NMPF sent a letter asking the Secretary to utilize this program. Here is an excerpt: "This program serves as an essential leg of support to the U.S. dairy industry by countering the continuous export subsidies from Europe. As such, it is a vital market development tool in a world market grossly distorted by the EU’s dairy export subsidy program." The complete letter is available here [1].
Letter to Secretary Johanns - March 2006
This letter was sent on March 14, 2006 to the Secretary asking him to utilize the DEIP program. Read the full letter here [1].
Request to USDA regarding DEIP - April 2005