Low prices for corn and other feed grains are expected to last for the rest of the decade, according to a recent forecast by a leading agricultural research group
What a crazy, incredible turnaround. Huge 2014 crop outlooks in the U.S. and other major grain-producing countries have destroyed the high prices for feed grains that made life so painful for anyone with...
Steady growth in the number of Jersey herds in the U.S., particularly among large dairy owners in the West, naturally leads to the question of how do they do financially? It's not an easy question to answer,...
It's shaping up to be an expensive summer for hay in the West. By mid-April, prices for supreme and premium quality alfalfa were already over $300 per ton in some of the region's largest dairy states,...
It costs money to raise your calves and heifers. Should you invest in facilities and raise your own replacements? Would you be better served utilizing a custom grower? Should you raise every heifer, or...
DDGS prices have actually gone up since last summer. If the price goes down for a commodity whose processing waste is a by-product feed for cows, then the price of that feed will go down too, right? So...
Through June, cash flow on milking cows ranged from minus 59 to positive 80 cents per hundredweight. Net farm incomes in the West have been varied, according to mid-year reports assembled by Frazer, LLP....
The Class III futures average has jumped 58 cents in just a month. The early Christmas cheer that dairy producers received two days ago - November's announced Class III price of $18.83 per hundredweight...
How does $10 per hundredweight income over feed cost sound? Even among other dairy market forecasters, predictions by marketing consultant Jerry Dryer are known for having a strong track record of accuracy....
No one else comes close to making as much milk per capita. Twenty-seven U.S. states border either the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, or Gulf of Mexico. This makes them candidates to be international dairy...
Know your numbers to better know your financial standing. Gary Sipiorski shared his wealth of banking experience within the dairy and agricultural community on the Hoard's Dairyman webinar on Monday,...
Getting a firm handle on farm financials will be critical to long-term business success. If your operation needs to get up to speed, now would be a good time as milk prices are favorable by historic standards...
Buy land, build a plant and start processing milk, right? Ha! Every state, county and city likes to claim it is "business friendly" in hopes of attracting new companies and the economy-sustaining jobs...
Webinar focuses on maximizing feed inputs. "The crop year's over ... now what?" That was the topic of the webinar on Monday, October 14. Mike Hutjens, University of Illinois, presented the webinar and...
Analyst's forecast has grabbed a lot of attention, but we are wary. It's been just a year since corn prices spiked to over $7 per bushel, which is why this recent headline grabbed so much attention and...
Review these ten decisions to determine if you can find additional income or reduce expenses on your farm or with your clients. Be a detective and make long-term economic decisions. When profit margins...
High feed costs force heavier culling. Frazer Certified Public Accountants and Consultants, LLP prepare accounting records for dairy operations in seven western states – Washington, Oregon, California...
Dairy feed cost situation is night and day different from a year ago. The West is scorching, yet much of the Midwest and East are soggy. And while crops there generally got a very slow start, high soil...
For the second straight year, California's cost to produce milk jumped over 10 percent. Nearly all the higher costs were due to higher feed prices. Rising feed costs were the root cause of the higher costs...
Why California dairies should plan on having strict emissions regulations forever. If dairies in California need a reminder about why they operate under the most strict air quality emissions regulations...