Industry News

Calling all U.S. dairy farmers!

Interested in how milk handlers pay you for quality and volume? Have a point of view on equitable hauling cost structure? Have preferences for selling to a farmer-owned cooperative or independent handler?

The USDA’s January World Ag Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report cut milk production estimates for both 2019 and 2020, based on slower expected growth in milk per cow. However, while average milk prices will improve in 2020, the USDA reduced its price projections slightly from a month ago.

U.S. exports continued to improve in November, increasing from prior months and topping year-ago levels for the third straight month. Here’s a summary of the numbers from the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC):

A federal bankruptcy court judge has granted Borden Dairy Company permission to pay independent dairy farmers and dairy cooperatives for milk as the company works through the legal process of financial restructuring.

U.S. dairy heifer exports are ending 2019 stronger and are poised to retain that strength into early 2020. However, on-farm management practices that emphasize use of beef semen and culling of low-genomic heifers could impact exports longer term.

Digest Highlights

• Senate committee advances USMCA
• Missouri city files lawsuit over DFA wastewater discharges
• Japan to subsidize dairy herd expansion
• Global Dairy Trade index rises