Based on the October USDA Milk Production report, U.S. milk output totaled 19.5 billion pounds, a 3.7% increase from the same month the prior year. September’s production total was revised downward by 34 million pounds from the preliminary estimate. October’s production per cow averaged 2,033 pounds, up 29 pounds from October 2024.
The Center for Dairy Excellence and Penn State Extension wrapped up their 2025 Dairy Producer Survey report in early November. The survey asked questions about farm demographics, marketing and replacements, employee management, facilities and operations, investments, future plans, performance indicators, risk management, and biosecurity. The goal was to get a snapshot of Pennsylvania dairies, where…
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, but domestic demand does not appear as though it has checked the calendar. We continue to see lethargic demand in the U.S. market as consumers remain constrained by persistent high costs – particularly in the restaurant space – and what appears to be some shifting consumer preferences. That’s keeping…
A surging milk supply continues to put downward pressure on Class III and IV milk prices. The October Class III milk price was announced at $16.91 per hundredweight, down 68 cents from September and $5.24 below October 2024 prices. This is the lowest Class III milk price since April 2024.
According to a recent American Farm Bureau Federation Market Intel, the U.S. cattle herd is in its seventh year of contraction and in year 12 of the cattle cycle. If positive eco nomic returns continue, farmers could be incentivized to rebuild the nation’s cattle herd, but if prices take a turn for the worse, contraction…
Based on the most recent USDA Estimated Total U.S. Sales of Fluid Milk Products report released mid-September, fluid milk sales were down in July, following an increase in June’s sales. Even though historically fluid milk sales dip in the sum mer months leading up to kids returning to school across the country, 2025 total fluid…
For many dairy farm families, an important component of their purpose is to build something lasting so the next generation has the chance to continue the farming operation in the future. Many times, there is a family legacy component to their farm’s history that comes with a desire to keep the tradition going. Some people…
Weakness prevails in the dairy markets as heavy supply, lackluster domestic demand, and increased export competition weigh on commodity prices. As it stands in mid-October, average first half 2026 Class III values are sitting around $16.75 per hundredweight, while Class IV is trending near $16.00.
Based on the latest USDA Agricultural Prices report released last week, the August 2025 margin under USDA’s Dairy Margin Coverage Program was calculated at $11.52 per hundredweight, up 58 cents from July but down $2.20 from a year ago. So far this year, participating producers have not seen any indemnities with margins still well above…
Based on the August USDA Milk Production report, U.S. milk output totaled 19.5 billion pounds, up 3.2 percent year over year. July’s revised production equaled 19.0 billion pounds with a reported 4.2 percent increase from July 2024, the highest year-over-year growth since 2021. This revision resulted in U.S. milk production rising 140 million pounds or…
