News

The USDA’s June World Ag Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report reduced 2018 and 2019 milk production projections and brightened the outlook for prices somewhat. Nonetheless, average prices for both years are expected to be below averages received by dairy farmers in 2017.

With the approval of the California Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) confirmed, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is targeting an October 2018 implementation date. Meanwhile, opposition to a proposal to convert Appalachian and Southeast FMMOs to multiple component pricing (MCP) systems has surfaced.

Editor’s note: In early April, Progressive Dairyman reported on a request by National All-Jersey, 14 dairy cooperatives and others asking the USDA to hold a hearing to consider a proposal to implement multiple component pricing (MCP) in two additional Federal Milk Marketing Orders.

As a veterinarian, one of the things I dreaded (besides more paperwork) when the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) came about was hearing producers say, “This is just an excuse for vets to charge me more money.”

I’ve been involved with dairy promotion for as long as I can remember, even going back to my high school days with the dairy princess program in Pennsylvania.