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…
As autumn arrives, it brings a wide-range set of responsibilities for dairy producers, particularly as preparations for the fall harvest begin. Whether this involves chopping silage, completing that final hay cutting, or winterizing facilities ahead of colder weather, it is essential not to overlook the future planning and administrative aspects of your operation. Updating your…
The dairy markets have taken a decidedly bearish turn over the past few weeks with Class III and IV futures values moving notably lower. From the beginning of August, October to March Class III futures prices dropped from $17.95 to $16.65 per hundredweight on average, while Class IV contract values fell by $3.50 to $15.75…
The National Safety Council always earmarks the third week in September as National Farm Safety and Health Week. The annual promotion was first initiated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944 to remind the farm community to prioritize safety. As farm equipment has gotten much larger and farm practices have gotten much more complex, being…
The USDA announced July’s margin under the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) Program to be $10.94 per hundredweight (cwt), down 16 cents from June’s margin and down $1.39 from the same month the year prior. As we move into the second half of the year, participating producers have still not received any indemnities for the duration…
On the July 2025 USDA Cattle Inventory Report, all cows and heifers that have calved totaled 94.2 million head, a 1.0% decrease from 95.4 million head in July 2023. The 2025 calf crop also saw a 1.0% drop from January 2025’s report to 33.1 million head in July. With the USDA cancelling the cattle inventory…
If you haven’t been paying attention to the grain markets over the past few weeks, it’s time to tune in. December corn prices are trading around $4 per bushel – near life-of-contract lows – while soybean meal prices are still hanging below $300 per ton. These lower grain futures are pushing 2025 and 2026 feed…
