March 7 2024
February was a big month for USDA data releases
Jan. 10 2024
Milk production in the United States seems to have entered a period of unknown duration when expansion in excess of demand will be less common than it has been in past years
Oct. 18 2023
As 2023 comes to a close, dairy producers are hopeful that 2024 will be a better year. Record-low Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) levels are one measure pointing to the tough financial year of 2023
Sept. 25 2023
The unprecedented dairy boom of 2022 gave way to the inevitable bust in 2023. Although no one expected sky-high milk prices to persist into this year, the speed and severity of the setback blindsided producers
Sept. 10 2023
Domestic and international dairy product future prices offer a slight glimmer of hope as we march toward fall
Aug. 12 2023
DAIRY product prices fell to levels not imagined several months ago, which pulled milk prices lower
June 7 2023
In recent months, Class III markets have been in a free fall as June Class III milk prices are tracking to the lowest levels since 2020
May 10 2023
About the same time the new farm bill will be kicking in this October, the federal government’s new fiscal year also will be underway
April 25 2023
Milk prices can’t go much lower, especially with these high feed prices . . . Can they?”
April 10 2023
Starting in 2020, a price divergence between Class III and actual producer pay prices shook up risk management plans just as volatility re-entered dairy markets in a meaningful way for the first time
March 1 2023
Last year saw a record-high All-Milk price, with Class III and Class IV averaging $24 and $22 per hundredweight (cwt.), respectively. Overall, that $24 Class IV price was the highest on record
Feb. 8 2023
Dairy prices have already shifted lower with February and March Class III futures contracts consistently dropping into the $17 range, with Class IV not far behind. I’m worried that the market moveme
Jan. 25 2023
Based on milk prices alone, the past year or so has gone well for dairy producers. In May, USDA reported an All-Milk price of $27.30 per hundredweight (cwt.), the highest All-Milk price on record and
Jan. 10 2023
If you had to pick one dominant factor that drove the U.S. dairy economy in 2022, the top candidate would be constrained milk production. It goes without saying that if you had to predict the dominant
Dec. 10 2022
Four years ago, U.S. dairy’s safety net was completely revamped. Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) replaced the largely ineffective Margin Protection Program (MPP-Dairy), and Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP
Nov. 16 2022
Earlier this year, weak U.S. butter prices, combined with a relatively weaker U.S. dollar, generated a lot of export interest from foreign buyers. As these international sales took place, it cut down
Oct. 19 2022
As 2022 begins to draw to a close, it is instructive to look back at the factors responsible for the record All-Milk price that will be logged for the year
Sept. 25 2022
Milk and dairy product prices soared to unprecedented heights this summer as the global milk production deficit worsened
Sept. 10 2022
In my opinion, trying to forecast milk prices for 2023 is a fool’s errand. In my career, I’ve never seen a time with so many unknowns that will impact both milk production and demand
Aug. 13 2022
depending on who you listen to, the U.S. economy is officially in a recession . . . or maybe it isn’t. Either way, commodity prices have fallen over the last several months