Louisiana milk production during the July - September 2023 quarter was 20.0 million pounds, down 9 percent from the same period in 2022 and down 31 percent from the April - June quarter. The average number of milk cows on farms during the quarter was 7,000 head, 1,000 head lower than the same period last year and 1,000 head lower than the previous quarter.
Read MoreThe August milk margin triggered the eighth consecutive payment for dairy producers who obtained Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) for the 2023 program year. August’s income over feed margin is $6.46 per hundredweight (cwt.) with projected DMC payments totaling $120 million. To date, including the projected August payments, dairy producers have received more than $1.2 billion in much needed economic support for 2023 and margin forecasts indicate the likelihood of more to come before the end of the calendar year.
Read MoreAmerican Farm Bureau Federation economist Danny Munch presented testimony today on behalf of AFBF and its membership at the ongoing Federal Milk Marketing Order Pricing Formula hearing. This is the third time an AFBF representative has testified at the hearing. AFBF Chief Economist Roger Cryan previously testified on cheese and butter pricing and milk composition.
Read MoreThe American Farm Bureau Federation submitted multiple recommended reforms of Federal Milk Marketing Orders today to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and encouraged the department to move forward with a long-overdue hearing on federal milk pricing. The goal is to modernize milk pricing, protect dairy farmers from unfair treatment and ensure consumers have access to affordable fresh milk and dairy products.
Read MoreCiting statistics that show most students of color are sickened by the milk school cafeterias must serve, Louisiana Congressman Troy Carter has filed a bill to require schools to offer dairy alternatives during mealtimes.
Carter’s is but one of several bills in Congress and nearly half of the state Legislatures across the U.S. this year addressing controversies about dairy milk and the 77-year-old federal system that reimburses schools for giving milk to their students.
Read MoreBipartisan legislation introduced in both the Senate and House would require plant-based dairy alternatives made from nuts, seeds, plants and algae to no longer be used as dairy terms on milk, yogurt or cheese products. It awaits Congress decision later this year.
Read MoreLouisiana milk production during the October - December 2022 quarter was 25.0 million pounds, down 11 percent from the same period in 2021 but up 14 percent from the July - September quarter.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the details of additional assistance for dairy producers, including a second round of payments through the Pandemic Market Volatility Assistance Program (PMVAP) and a new Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP). The update to PMVAP and the new ODMAP will enable USDA to better support small- and medium-sized dairy operations who weathered the pandemic and now face other challenges.
Read MoreLouisiana milk production during the July - September 2022 quarter was 23.0 million pounds, down 8 percent from the same period in 2021 and down 28 percent from the April - June quarter. The average number of milk cows on farms during the quarter was 8,500 head, 500 head lower than the same period last year and the previous quarter.
Read MoreGoing back almost 100 years, the history of the farm bill largely tracks the history of food production in the United States as the legislation evolves to meet the needs of its modern-day constituents – farmers and consumers. Agriculture’s role in providing food security, and in turn national security, to the United States is more important than ever. And now, work on the next farm bill has started during a period of volatility on every front – political, economic, weather and beyond.
Read MoreThe annual Florida Parishes Dairy Day recently brought out the spirit of winning in youth showing off their culinary and artistic skills, and farmers received bragging rights with high-yielding milk cows.
The event, which is held every summer, began early in the morning with young people judging dairy cows and others preparing dishes for the cookery contest at the LSU AgCenter Southeast Research Station.
Read MorePrompted by a call from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to get as many people involved in dairy as possible in one room to discuss solutions to Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) shortfalls, the American Farm Bureau Federation is hosting a forum Oct. 14-16 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Read MoreHow will this year’s weather conditions affect crop production? The Monthly Agricultural Yield Survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will survey U.S. farmers beginning July 30, 2022, regarding yields of the major row crops throughout the growing season across the United States.
Read MoreLouisiana milk production during the April - June 2022 quarter was 32.0 million pounds, down 9 percent from the same period in 2021 and down 3 percent from the January - March quarter. The average number of milk cows on farms during the quarter was 9,000 head, 500 head lower than the same period last year but unchanged from the previous quarter.
Read MoreBy prices alone, the past year or so has gone well for dairy producers. In March, USDA reported the highest-ever average all-milk price at $25.90 per hundredweight, 20 cents ahead the previous record set in September 2014.
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