As printed in our May 10, 2017 issue . . .
THE DAIRY TRADE DISPUTE between the U.S. and Canada continues to garner national and international headlines with New Zealand and Australia now joining the U.S. in challenging Canada’s new tariffs on ultrafiltered milk. In Wisconsin, Governor Walker announced a loan guarantee program while farmers find new markets for their milk.
CANADA HAS MADE BUSINESS for our dairy farmers in Wisconsin and other border states very difficult,” tweeted President Trump. “We will not stand for this. Watch!” That was the U.S. President’s message on April 24. Two days later, 60 House Representatives penned a letter to President Trump asking for additional action on the dairy trade dispute.
A 20 PERCENT TARIFF WAS PLACED on Canadian softwood lumber imports that same week. The U.S. accounted for 77 percent of Canada’s lumber exports last year with China being a distant second at 13 percent.
THE ALL-MILK PRICE FORECAST FELL BY 50 CENTS to a $17.65 midpoint after USDA economists ratcheted back 2017 price projections.
CLASS III FUTURES AVERAGED $16.10 for the rest of 2017. At $16.50, September and October represented the high; May’s $15.32 the low. Meanwhile, milk is going to Class III being sold $1.50 to $5.50 under market.
DAIRY PRODUCT PRICES ROSE 55 PERCENT during the past year at New Zealand’s Global Dairy Trade. From March 2016 to March 2017, milk prices rose from $10.15 to $16.46 per hundredweight.
NOW AT A 31-YEAR HIGH, American cheese stocks climbed to 803,000 pounds in cold storage, reported USDA. Butter stood at 273,000 pounds.
MARCH COW NUMBERS REACHED A 21-YEAR HIGH with the national herd at 9.38 million. That total climbed 168,000 since January 2014.
CALIFORNIA WATER WOES SUBSIDED as the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation set the water allocation at 100 percent for the Central Valley — the first time since 2006. This decision took place because it was the wettest year on record with the snow pack at 160-plus percent of average.
FRESH BEEF RETURNED TO MCDONALD’S as the restaurant chain tries to shore up sagging hamburger sales. Overall, ground beef accounts for 62 percent of all U.S. beef sales with dairy cattle being a main source.
DAIRY COW SLAUGHTER FELL BY 29,300 in 2016, reported USDA, as 2,885,700 million dairy cows headed to packing plants last year. For the first quarter of 2017, cull dairy cows climbed by 8,900 to reach 271,100.
NEARLY 100 DAYS AFTER PRESIDENT TRUMP was sworn in as President, Congress confirmed Sonny Perdue as the 31st USDA Secretary.
THE ESTATE TAX COULD BE REPEALED if a tax plan put forth by President Trump is enacted by Congress. Other tax cuts are also proposed
In your next issue!
FOUR SEASONS OF FRESH AIR.
The optimal ventilation system provides clean, fast-moving air where cows rest all year long.
LIGHT IT UP WITH LEDS.
Light emitting diodes, known as LEDs, have become an effective and efficient way to illuminate dairy facilities.
LESSONS LEARNED FROM GROUP-HOUSED CALVES.
A study of farms using automatic feeders and group housing revealed some practices that point to success in these calf rearing systems.
