In May of 2022 I was at a conference in Germany and the question I asked everyone was, “how high do milk prices have to go to get EU milk production growing again?” 

The Midwest-based co-op released six key focus areas: climate and environmental regulations, 2023 farm bill reforms, accurate dairy product labeling, milk pricing reform, expanded opportunities for trade and the need for agricultural workforce reform.  

This set of recommendations emerged from the ongoing work of WCMA’s federal order reform committee, initiated in early 2021 to consider the future of the nation’s government-legislated milk pricing and pooling system.

The best and the worst parties share a few characteristics. They both involve a few questionable decisions and an element of surprise — and they don’t end until the authorities show up.

Today’s monthly update of the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates Report released today by the USDA sees higher milk prices and lower milk production. The export outlook is mixed.

Hot, humid weather conditions have accelerated milk production declines in Florida, Arizona and the Midwest. Manufacturing milk supplies have declined across most of the nation; due to milk production declines and Class I demand increases. 

Milk production is steady despite colder and wetter conditions in the Southwest. Arizona milk supplies are heavy. In the Northwest, milk supplies are slowly increasing. Output trends in Utah and Idaho are about steady. Farm milk pickups are on the rise in the Midwest at higher than expected levels.

Milk production continues to be impacted by weather conditions across wide areas of the United States; cheese plants are worried about milk supplies; and nonfat dry milk prices are moving higher across all regions in a firm market, reports the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
 

South Dakota dairy manufacturers wrote to Senator John Thune (R-SD)  to express their opposition to a proposed milk supply management program expected to be included in the draft Farm Bill.