Industry News

Increased annual milk production caps under the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program, potential Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) reforms and greater milk check transparency were among issues highlighted in oral and written testimony during a House Agriculture Committee hearing, June 22.

Digest highlights

• July 2022 Class I base price stays at record high
• Vitaliano: Dairy in unique economic times
• Cheese inventories rise
• GDT price index dips
• Dairy cull cow marketing slowed in May
• Wooten returns to SMI
• World Dairy Expo to feature Global Dairy Symposium
• Bill extends school meal provisions through summer
• IDDBA: Inflation driving food spending

Declining fluid milk sales and Class III-IV milk price relationships that incentivize depooling are cutting into the percentage of U.S. milk production marketed through the Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) system.

Monthly U.S. milk production was below year-ago levels for a fifth consecutive month in May, with slow growth in milk per cow and cow numbers well below last year’s peak.

Digest highlights

• House ag committee sets dairy hearing, farm bill listening sessions
• Dairy exports improve via Port of Los Angeles
• NMPF expresses concern with proposed SEC climate rule
• USDA announces Houston port partnership, Northwest expansion
• IRS increases mileage rate for remainder of 2022
• April fluid sales lower
• USDA, Innovation Center for Dairy sign sustainability MOU
• USDA: File crop acreage reports

In this column, Progressive Dairy summarizes issues in the news and attempts to describe how they might affect dairy farmers. Look for more extensive background, details and updates at Progressive Dairy.

Items in this column are compiled from Progressive Dairy staff news sources. Send news items to Dave Natzke.