May 17, 2023: Dairy Week In Review

USDA is forecasting the highest ever global corn crop in 2023-24, according to the latest USDA World Agricultural Supply & Demand Estimates report. Global corn production is estimated at 1.22  billion metric tons, 6 percent higher than last year and a record high resulting from expanding acreage and higher yields. USDA is also projecting the…

May 10, 2023: Dairy Week In Review

The latest USDA Dairy Products report shows March 2023 cheese production up 11.7 percent from last month to 1.23 billion pounds, falling 0.2 percent from a year ago’s production level. Italian  type cheese production was down 1.5 percent from last March to 512 million pounds, while American type cheese production was up 12.5 percent to…

May 3, 2023: Dairy Week In Review

The Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) feed cost declined by 39 cents during March compared to February. All three DMC feed cost factors – corn, soybean meal (SBM), and superior alfalfa hay – experienced declines that resulted in a final total DMC feed cost of $15.02 per cwt. Unfortunately, the U.S. all-milk price declined an additional…

April 26, 2023: Dairy Week In Review

Butter stocks were down 2.33 million pounds from a month ago to 292.7 million pounds on March 31, now just 3.5 percent above year-ago levels. Typically, butter stocks increase from February to  March. Cheese inventories, though, grew as expected, according to the USDA Cold Storage Report. Read More

April 19, 2023: Dairy Week In Review

US total milk production was up 0.5 percent year over year in March to 19.805 billion pounds. Milk production per cow was up 4 pounds, while total cow numbers were up 31,000 head from a year ago, up 6,000 head from last month. The nation’s top milk producer, California, was actually down 2.0 percent in…

April 12, 2023: Dairy Week In Review

USDA’s Dairy Products report shows total cheese output up 0.4 percent from a year ago to 1.11 pounds, down 7.9 percent from a month ago. Italian type cheese production was down 1.4 percent  from a year ago to 460 million pounds, while American type cheese production was up 2.4 percent to 453 million pounds. Butter…

April 5, 2023: Dairy Week In Review

USDA announced the March Class III price at $18.10 per hundredweight, up 32 cents from February but down $4.35 from a year ago. The Class IV price was announced at $18.38 per cwt., down  48 cents from February and $6.44 below last March levels. Class III futures prices on the CME average $18.99 for the…

March 29, 2023: Dairy Week In Review

The herd size in the U.S. increased to 9.417 million in February, up 37,000 (+0.4%) compared to last year. The national herd also increased month-to-month with 12,000 cows more than January 2023. Average milk production per cow also increased by nine pounds compared to last February to 1,877 pounds per cow. With more cows producing…

March 22, 2023: Dairy Week In Review

Total milk production in the US was up 0.8 percent from a year ago to 17.7 billion pounds, with per cow milk production up 7 pounds to 1,877 pounds. The nation’s dairy herd grew 37,000 head  from a year ago to 9.42 million head, up 12,000 head from last month. Read More

March 15, 2023: Dairy Week In Review

Total conventional milk sales declined to 40.425 billion pounds in 2022. This is 2.4 percent less than 2021. For several years, the largest declines in conventional fluid milk sales have come from  low fat (1% milkfat) and fat free milk. This trend did not change. Low fat milk sales dropped 8% during 2022 to 4.634…