Industry News

This spring’s slow planting progress and multiple government programs are creating uncertainty in corn and soybean markets. For dairy producers, those dynamics are also influencing projected milk income margins using the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program formula.

In some circles, increased dairy cow culling and the trend toward more dairy farmers breeding a percentage of their dairy cows and heifers to beef sires has raised concerns over the impact on U.S. beef supplies. Latest data from University of Wisconsin – River Falls ag economics professor, Brenda Boetel, and research assistant, Jared Geiser, shows the importance of dairy-beef to the total U.S. beef supply, but also puts some of those concerns to rest.

Digest Highlights

• June Class I base price tops $17 for first time in 29 months
• California ‘Stop QIP’ petition falls short of required signatures
• Product inventories continue to build
• Darigold expands sales, logistics capabilities in Mexico
• USDA Economic Research Service employees vote to form union
• Farm Credit East Dairy Farm Summary reveals 2018 struggles
• Bill creates indefinite moratorium on agricultural mergers
• Land O’Lakes, Mars Wrigley seek dairy sustainability solutions

U.S. milk quality – measured in terms of somatic cell counts (SCC) – improved again in 2018, based on an annual summary of Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) test-day results.

You’re busy – milking cows, managing employees and hoping to get some hay made. With that in mind, Progressive Dairyman looks at issues in the news impacting you and your dairy business. In recognition of your time, we’ll attempt to summarize recent events or actions making dairy headlines and reported in our weekly digital newsletter, Progressive Dairyman Extra. Then, we’ll try to put that news into perspective and briefly describe how it might affect you.

The Undeniably Dairy campaign – created two years ago by the dairy checkoff to build trust and relevance in dairy with consumers – is hitting its mark. Dairy farmers are a key part of the program’s content. And, consumers want to hear their stories!