Feed Prices
California’s Central Valley will soon be home to a new model in dairy feed production: indoor feed centers.
Now that its mid-January, dairy producers are eagerly awaiting an announcement to sign up for the Dairy Margin Coverage program. The Farm Service Agency office has yet to reveal when the 2024 enrollment period will open.
While we have flipped the calendar to a New Year, we didn’t necessarily say goodbye to low milk prices. 2023 was a tough year financially for dairy producers and 2024 isn’t off to a great start either.
Producers are hoping for stronger milk prices next year. First quarter milk price looks less than promising - causing producers to turn to plan B which is hoping DMC payouts generate a healthy sum in the year ahead.
Recently on a Farm Journal Milk Business webinar, three dairy thought leaders talked about the importance of gathering around a table with other team members, especially during challenging times.
Recently on a Farm Journal Milk Business webinar, three dairy thought leaders talked about the biggest challenges facing producers and what their takes are on risk management strategies.
Agility — it can be the difference between those who make it in the dairy industry and those who don’t. Learning to pivot to the next stepping stone to success is what leading dairies, like Van Ess Dairy doing well.
One word to describe the dairy economy is volatile. One reason that producers have managed through the up and down prices is that they have learned to balance the profit equation by utilizing risk management practices.
While considerably lower than the previous month’s payouts, a Dairy Margin Coverage payment was triggered once again. At just $1.06 per cwt., the September DMC margin triggers an indemnity payment at the $9.50 level.
Earlier this month, AgriTalk host, Chip Flory visited with two dairy farmers at World Dairy Expo to talk about the challenges that face dairy, as well as what opportunities lie ahead in the years ahead.
Three business-minded dairy leaders will gather together during a Farm Journal Milk Business Quarterly webinar to share advice on how to future-proof your dairy business.
Mike Simone, Executive Director of market Research and Intelligence with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, says high beef prices are here to stay for a while for several reasons.
When Julie ten Hoeve called her son’s high school to report Ian being absent to help chop corn on the family’s 650-cow dairy farm, she worried about what the school would say. The school’s response eased her mind.
The July 2023 USDA Milk Production report spotlighted difficult conditions in the Southwest and California. The report showed a 0.6% decrease in year-over-year milk production. Cow numbers also dropped year-over-year.
Dairy producers and industry professionals who register before Sept. 30th for the Milk Business Conference will earn a chance to win three concert tickets to see Garth Brooks live in concert at Caesar’s Palace on Dec. 1.
For the first half of the year, nearly $612 million in government payments have been issued, a vastly different picture compared to last year.
While a lot has changed for Ballard Family Dairy and Cheese in Gooding, Idaho, in the last ten years, one thing has remained consistent—their drive for sustainability.
With no end to the higher feed cost trend in sight, farmers are looking at ways to get the most out of their rations while minimizing wasted feed.
Phil Plourd with Ever.Ag says that combine miserable weather in key growth areas such as Texas with shrinking farm margins and you get a Milk Production report showing the worst performance that we’ve seen in a while.
With the milk price not looking promising compared to last year, Ben Laine says that taking advantage of some opportunities elsewhere will help producers push past what we hope is the bottom of the milk market in 2023.
Another round of Dairy Margin Coverage payments will be coming to producer’s mailboxes, making this the largest payment yet.
Two producers on the opposite side of the country: Dwayne Faber of Washington and Val Lavigne of New York joined AgriTalk host Chip Flory and spoke about the challenges facing their dairies.
Feed costs will continue to be the No. 1 expense. Jim Salfer, Extension dairy educator with the University of Minnesota, offers some best practices to help producers lower feed costs.
Last year’s record milk price year fueled producers to strategically plan how to utilize the extra income from strong milk prices. Now many producers are wondering what has changed to wildly swing milk prices.
Ben Laine shares we would need a big demand surge to see a significant increase in prices. He also adds that June is likely to be the bottom of prices, although he remains cautious for the second half of 2023.
The bill would offer a pathway for manufacturers to seek FDA approval of additives tied to improving the efficiency of meat and dairy production.
The ongoing milk price rollercoaster that seems to be on a downward track has once again forced a Dairy Margin Coverage payment to be issued in 2023. The DMC income over feed costs for April is $5.84/cwt.
The best way for producers to improve feed efficiency and lower costs is to increase forage quality.
Head to Lancaster County Pennsylvania and the sweet aroma of candy can be smelled on a family dairy farm. Red Knob Dairy has been feeding upcycled Hershey candy waste to their cows for more than a decade.
A big U.S. corn crop could further reduce feed prices.