The U.S. isn’t the only dairy region that has expanded its milk production over the past year. Along with a 1.7% increase in the U.S. milk production in August, several other major dairy regions are on the upswing. In the 27 member states of the European Union, milk production grew by 3.3% year over year…
Thirty years ago, dairy farming was never easy, but the milk check seemed to stretch a little further – or at least felt less volatile. A load of milk helped cover feed, fuel, labor, repairs, and the next round of bills. Today, that same check is asked to do far more while its value rises…
For the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program, the USDA announced August’s margin to be $9.34 per hundredweight (cwt). Participating producers enrolled at the $9.50 coverage level received an indemnity of 16 cents per hundredweight (cwt). When compared month over month and year over year, the margin was down by 59 cents and $2.18 per cwt,…
Beef-on-dairy calf values remain historically strong, even as the broader cattle market has backed off the record highs reached earlier this year. While the $2,000 day-old calves trading this spring may now be valued closer to $1,200, current prices continue to provide a significant revenue opportunity for dairy producers. More importantly, the success of crossbred…
Having an accurate and timely bookkeeping system is vital for every business. When there is money in the checking account to pay all the invoices that have been received, many people find this to be a very satisfying activity. When money is tight, it can be less satisfying and more of a juggling act. Accurate…
Well, it depends, but it is certainly positive if we were to assign a dollar value to it. As a dairy producer, you are exposed to various risks throughout the day. Farming is risky, but having protocols in place can mitigate risk and help your operation weather the storm when it arises. I recently had…
As August fades into September, it seems like we go from 20 to 100 miles an hour on the farm overnight. Suddenly the fall harvesting season is upon us, and dump trucks and forage wagons are flying in and out of driveways all over the Commonwealth. Manure tankers line the roads, and grain drills are…
For the Dairy Margin Coverage program, the USDA announced July’s margin to be $9.93 per hundredweight (cwt). With the margin 43 cents per cwt above the $9.50 trigger, no indemnities were paid out at any coverage level ($4.00 up to $9.50 per cwt). July’s margin was 95 cents below the prior month’s margin at $10.88…
There’s always at least one commodity that’s leaving market participants scratching their heads. In 2026, the nonfat dry milk market has been one of the most intriguing markets to watch. During the first half of the year, CME spot prices swung through a range of more than dollar topping out around $2.30 per pound before…
According to the U.S. Labor Department’s latest report, the percentage of our U.S. population in the labor force today sits at just below 60%, which is at its lowest point since July 2021. Unemployment rates in this country remain flat, with July’s report showing unemployment at 4.1%. The unemployment rate represents the number of people…
