Dairy - General
With profit expectations dropping to 46%, the 2026 Farm Journal State of the Dairy Industry Report reveals a gray skyline of rising costs, credit hurdles and a resilient paradox of strategic expansion.
Overlooking dry cows and bred heifers during hot weather can carry long-term consequences for calf health and future performance.
With a steady hand on the tiller of trade and a watchful eye on biosecurity, the industry is poised to turn this era of investment into a legacy of global dominance.
Discover how Dr. Jody Kull takes dairy protocols in stagnant binders and creates fluid risk-management tools that improve calf care, transition health, and team communication.
Commodity markets are waiting for one key answer: Does the U.S. really have a deal with China? With only a $17 billion figure and few details, traders want proof through tariffs, export sales and purchases.
Ashley Stockwell will step onto one of racing’s biggest stages to hand the Indy 500 winner the iconic bottle of milk, carrying forward a 90-year tradition while representing women in agriculture during the Year of the Female Farmer.
As fuel costs drive consumers out of restaurants and back to their kitchens, a hidden dairy gap emerges, leaving the industry to rely on a surging export market to sustain demand.
As dairy farms adopt more technology, artificial intelligence is helping producers make faster, more informed management decisions.
From the 2025-30 Dietary Guidelines to the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, new policies are reclaiming dairy’s place in the American diet and unlocking major growth across the supply chain.
Nutritionists are taking a closer look at high-oleic soybeans as farms look for ways to manage milk fat, feed costs and more homegrown ingredients in the ration.
From 100 cows to 10,000, the dairy industry is a house divided. It’s time to look past the labor debate and rediscover the common bond that unites every family-owned operation.
From conferences to a quick word of appreciation, dairy producers are finding that investing in employees helps keep good people and strengthen teams.
As rural housing becomes harder to find, one Wisconsin dairy is building more than a workforce by providing homes for nearly all of its employees and helping families put down roots in the community.
After 10 years of growth and policy momentum, IDFA will begin a search for new leadership as Michael Dykes plans to retire in 2026.
Milk cow, heifer and beef-on-dairy calf prices are all holding at historically strong levels as tight replacement supplies keep values elevated across the dairy cattle market.
From Wisconsin to New York, dairy leaders are trading clipboards for cloud-based logic, building a digital nervous system to master margins and protect a 250-year legacy.
Flies can quickly go from a minor nuisance to a herd-wide problem, but staying ahead starts with finding and cleaning up breeding spots early.
Securing the “Made in the USA” label requires more than technology; it demands a stable, legal workforce and a national policy that recognizes dairy’s 365-day harvest reality.
Praise God for the goodness that being a farmer is — not because it is easy and not because it is always profitable, but because it gives us the eyes to see that an ordinary Tuesday can be the best day we have ever asked for.
U.S. dairy exports continue to surge in 2026, with first-quarter volumes climbing 11% year-over-year as record cheese and butterfat demand helps absorb growing milk production.
A new survey shows teenagers trust dairy more than any other age group as schools prepare to bring whole milk back to menus under updated federal nutrition rules.
Beef-on-dairy calves are showing fewer scours cases and repeat treatments than Holsteins, adding another layer to their value on dairy farms.
After scaling back her herd, one producer used artificial intelligence to work through the numbers, test scenarios faster and sharpen decisions across the operation as she reset how the business ran.
As the gap between federal policy and dairy’s year-round reality widens, leaders in Texas and Idaho warn that a structural labor deficiency is pushing the industry toward a breaking point.
The move comes as Danone consolidates plant-based production across its U.S. network while investing in other dairy and nutrition categories.
Ken McCarty shares his 18-month, layered roadmap for locking in 90% of fuel needs — a scalable strategy for any dairy looking to protect margins and eliminate energy market worry time.
DFA CEO Dennis Rodenbaugh outlines a shift from defense to proactive leadership, framing sustainability as a generational legacy of stewardship that empowers farmers of all sizes to lead innovation.
Improving pregnancy rate is one of the fastest ways to put more calves — and cash — on the ground in the next year.
A late first cutting can reduce forage quality across the entire season, making timing one of the most important calls in spring alfalfa management.