August 2026 milk production, the four-class pricing system, and the 2025 Federal Milk Marketing Order reforms Key Takeaways:
U.S. milk production is growing because the herd is larger, not because cows are producing more milk. August output increased 1.7 percent, even as production per cow declined slightly. Most new production is occurring in cheese-oriented or federally unregulated regions. This makes the destination of the additional milk increasingly important because federal pricing varies by end use and region. The 2025 FMMO reforms redistributed revenue unevenly. Fluid-heavy markets generally benefited from higher Class I differentials and the restored higher-of formula, while higher make allowances reduced prices and pool revenue i...
What You Need to Know Today: Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans continued to accelerate, with USDA reporting another 558 KMT sold to China and 236 KMT to unknown destinations. Combined with sales announced Wednesday and Thursday, the latest purchases bring the three-day total to approximately...
Key Takeaways: With the fall calf run now upon us, producers are finally getting a glimpse of what their realized profits will be for 2026. Some producers may have already obtained a strong estimate of 2026 revenues, especially if calves were forward sold in, for example, the mid-summer...
As fall begins, wild migratory birds are starting their seasonal migration. That has the industry and government officials worried about the potential spread, again, of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Some members of Congress have called for the United States to be prepared for a pote...
