BUSINESS
It’s fall harvesttime—an appro-priate point at which to assess the bulls and bears in the marketplace in an effort to get properly positioned for the year ahead. At this writing (just ahead of Labor Day), projections are for above-average prices next year, but can we get there?
U.S. dairy producers will have 722,000 more heifers available from 2008 through 2012, thanks to sexed semen technology that started coming online in 2006.
Chicago wheat futures ended much lower on Tuesday, as moisture levels in Russia increased ahead of winter wheat sowing season. Corn and soybean both retreated on bearish outside markets.
July dairy cow slaughter is down 2,000 head compared to July 2009.
July’s 3% increase in U.S. milk production over year-ago levels surpassed the expectations of many market watchers.
“Is competition healthy enough to protect farmers, and if not, what do we do about it?” Sen. Herb Kohl’s question at the USDA–Department of Justice hearing on dairy industry consolidation sums up a never-ending debate.
U.S. farmers produced the largest corn and soybean crops on record in 2009
While milk prices are improving for the new year, feed costs continue to be higher than previous averages. This will limit the return to historic profit levels.
Bonus content: More on financial statements Balance sheets that you submit to your lenders need to be extremely accurate with no hidden surprises, says Jim Kastanek, a dairy business consultant and owner of Total Agri-Business Services, Albany, Minn.
USDA expects lower expenditures of $343 million for dairy support through fiscal year 2010 and $362 million in 2011; these figures combined do not reach the total dairy spending of $1.344 billion in fiscal year 2009.
Bonus content: More on risk management: Lookout Ridge Consulting Valley Futures Trading While it’s not always possible to lock in a margin through hedging, knowing your cost of production and monthly cash flow needs are critical in any risk management plan.
The U.S. ethanol industry exported 5.64 million metric tons (mmt) of distillers grains worth nearly $1 billion in 2009, shattering the previous record set in 2008, the Renewable Fuels Association reported recently.
The newly-launched “Dairy Decisions Consultant” program aims to assist Pennsylvania dairy farm families in the decision-making and planning processes that come in the wake of 15 months of low milk prices and negative margins.
Although the U.S. dairy herd continues to decrease, the rate of decline appears to be moderating.
CLAAS introduces its new Moisture Meter to give producers an effective production management tool to ensure that their crop has reached its optimal point of harvest.
USDA reported this morning that dairy cow slaughter in March was 18,000 head higher than in March 2009, a 7.6% increase.
Sidney Manufacturing introduces its new Gorilla Grapple, a versatile, powerful grapple designed to fit most skid steers.
China will grant the U.S. 30 days to work with Chinese authorities to secure agreement on a new health certificate for food-grade dairy exports to the Asian nation
The U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) today applauded the announcement by China granting the U.S. 30 days to work with Chinese authorities to secure agreement on a new health certificate for food-grade dairy exports to China.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Citizens’ Board voted unanimously yesterday to pull the permit of Excel Dairy, Thief River Falls, Minn.
The 75 dairy farms enrolled in the Dairy Profit Team Program from 2005-2009 generated $12.3 million in additional revenue, according to a summary recently released by the Pennsylvania Center for Dairy Excellence.
Economists from the Universities of Missouri and Wisconsin have prepared a Dairy Policy Brief on mandatory supply control as one of 11 different briefs in anticipation of the 2012 Farm Bill.
The Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program, initiated in December 2001, is coming under more scrutiny as Federal budget deficits climb and as dairy herd size continues to grow, making fewer herds eligible for a smaller share of their annual milk production.
Dairy economists from the Universities of Missouri (UM) and Wisconsin have prepared a Policy Brief analyzing the pros and cons of such a national dairy gross margin program. In essence, LGM-Dairy pays an insurance indemnity equal to the difference, if positive, between the gross margin expected at producer sign-up and the gross margin actually experienced.
Select Sires Inc. has completed a new global production facility in Plain City, Ohio
In 2003, as burdensome European regulations and limited expansion opportunities were squeezing the viability out of his small dairy in northern Ireland, Rodney Elliott read in his local newspaper of an agricultural investment tour of South Dakota.