Industry News

U.S. milk production continued to build in August, up 1.8% from a year earlier, according to the USDA’s preliminary monthly Milk Production report, released Sept. 17.

In addition, July 2020 production was revised upward about 0.5% (91 million pounds) from last month’s preliminary estimate, pushing total U.S. output up 2% from July 2019.

The USDA was expected to announce rules for a second round of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) last week. However, no details have been released as of Sept. 16. Check back for updates as they become available.

Digest Highlights

• Retail dairy sales: Summer ends on high note
• Global Dairy Trade index jumps
• ‘Protecting Your Profits’ webinar is Sept. 23
• Politics: AFBF posts presidential candidates’ views; MMPA cites Peterson
• 2021 World Ag Expo canceled
• Fortistar, Palmona Dairy building RNG facility
• Funds available to update Minnesota livestock operations
• Progressive Dairy COVID-19 resources

You’re busy milking cows, evaluating feed quality and wishing you were planning your annual trek to World Dairy Expo. With that in mind, Progressive Dairy looks at issues in the news impacting you and your dairy business.

Negative producer price differentials (PPDs) improved on August milk marketings, but they didn’t go away, based on Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) monthly milk utilization and uniform price calculations. August uniform milk prices across all 11 FMMOs were mixed compared with a month earlier.

It may seem like ages ago, before COVID-19-related market disruptions and changes in consumer habits, but 2019 was another record year for U.S. per capita dairy product consumption. Based on annual estimates from the USDA, increased consumption of cheese and butter offset another year-to-year decline in fluid beverage milk.