While prices at the grocery store might have gone up a bit, our friends at the American Farm Bureau Federation say a Fourth of July picnic is still a bargain. The group’s latest marketbasket survey shows a party for 10 people with all the Independence Day favorites, such as hot dogs, cheeseburgers (topped with AMERICAN cheese we’ll assume), pork spare … Read More
Q3 Global Dairy Industry Report
Rabobank has published a new report looking at the global dairy industry in Q3 2012, particularly examining supply, demand and pricing developments in key markets around the world. In the report, authored by the bank’s Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory (FAR) group, Rabobank says that the global dairy market appears headed for a period of renewed supply scarcity in … Read More
Milk Output Increased in Latest Outlook
In the latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report out last week, USDA increased the 2012 U.S. milk production estimate based on increased milk cow numbers and gains in milk per cow. USDA now projects U.S. milk output at 201.1 billion pounds this year, up from 199.7 billion pounds in last month’s forecast. “That reflects more cows and … Read More
Outllook is Challenging for Dairy
At USDA’s 2012 Agricultural Outlook Forum last week, one of the agency’s dairy analysts had a sobering outlook for the dairy industry. “2011 was a great year for most dairy operators, but unfortunately I have to talk about 2012,” said USDA economist Milton Madison. First, producers are building their herds, which will expand production for the second year in a … Read More
January Dairy Outlook
USDA World Agricultural Outlook Board Chair Gerry Bange expects milk production to increase in 2012. Talking about the latest USDA Dairy Outlook in terms of production and price estimates, Bange says, “U.S. milk production in 2012 is expected to increase about 1.3%. We’re looking now at 198.5 billion pounds.” That’s unchanged from the last forecast, but the 2011 production total … Read More
Prices, Cows and Milk All Up From Last Year
Despite rising feed prices and a hot summer, milk production continues to increase this year, with forecast milk output rising 1.5 percent in 2011 to 195.7 billion pounds, according to USDA. Cow numbers continue to increase more than expected and output per cow appears to have rebounded from the July and August heat. Cow numbers are projected at 9.2 million … Read More
House Hearing Focuses on Feed Availability
Dairy, livestock and poultry producers were represented during a hearing this week before a House Agriculture subcommittee on concerns about feed availability and the main theme of all the witnesses was the impact of ethanol policy on feed availability. Testifying on behalf of the dairy industry was Dr. Eric Erba with California Dairies. “From our point of view, the problem … Read More
House Hearing Focuses on Dairy Programs
The House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry held an audit hearing Thursday on how USDA dairy programs are working, current conditions and productivity in the dairy industry, and possible public policy challenges moving forward. “The events of 2009 exposed what many have long-held to be an inadequacy of some of our current dairy programs. While some observers … Read More
Dairy Committe Report Due Out in March
The dairy economy was a topic of discussion during a full House Agriculture Committee hearing Thursday where Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack testified about the outlook for the farm economy. “The livestock and dairy industries could face some financial pressures in 2011 and bear watching,” Vilsack told the committee. Getting more specific in his written testimony, Vilsack noted that dairy … Read More
Wall Street Reform Could Impact Cooperatives
Implementing legislation aimed a reforming Wall Street could have an impact on farmer cooperatives, including dairy co-ops. As the Commodities Futures Trading Corporation (CFTC) implements provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act involving over the counter (OTC) derivatives, the Commission must ensure that farmer co-ops can continue to effectively manage risk and offer hedging tools to their farmer-owners, a representative of the … Read More