The largest outdoor farm show in Pennsylvania just wrapped up. John Clark is with Jesse Darlington at Penn State’s Ag Progress Days:

Some of the best in the breed traveled to NY for the National Summer Ayrshire Spectacular, showcasing top-notch cattle from New York, New England & the Mid-Atlantic:

Dairying in Virginia is alive and well. John Clark recently attended the VA Dairy Expo and visited with Eric Paulson of the Virginia State Dairymen’s Association:

The countdown for the 55^th World Dairy Expo is on as there are only four months left until the global dairy industry meets once again in Madison, Wisconsin. In addition to a new schedule, October 2 through 7, Expo is introducing the ability to purchase digital admission passes for this year’s event before arriving at the Alliant Energy Center, by visiting  www.worlddairyexpo.com.

Created for Spanish-speaking dairy owners, managers, and mid-managers, Expo en Español returns to World Dairy Expo this fall with an expanded schedule. Presented exclusively in Spanish, Expo en Español will be hosted at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday through Friday during World Dairy Expo, in Mendota 1 of the Exhibition Hall. Each session includes a presentation and a question-and-answer segment.

“We are excited to have Expo en Español as a part of Expo’s educational offerings again this fall,” shares Cassi Miller, World Dairy Expo Attendee Programs Specialist. “This program continues to offer new tools, insight, and opportunities for these key industry members and their operations.”

Here is the 2022 Expo en Español schedule that can be enjoyed in person at WDE or online through ExpoTV at www.worlddairyexpo.com. World Dairy Expo thanks Progressive Dairy for sponsoring the complete 2022 Expo en Español schedule.

World Dairy Expo Virtual Farm Tours have brought some of the best dairy operations from near and far to Madison for over 20 years. The four dairies to be featured during WDE 2022 continue that tradition while showcasing environmental stewardship, quality genetics, technology advancements, community involvement and more. During Expo’s Virtual Farm Tours, dairy owners and managers share a visual presentation with time for questions and an open discussion afterward. Tours are presented daily in Mendota Room 1 of the Exhibition Hall at 10:00 a.m.

The 2022 World Dairy Expo Virtual Farm Tour schedule can be enjoyed in person at WDE or online through ExpoTV at www.worlddairyexpo.com.

Our guest today is Joe Arens, retired dairy producer from Central Michigan and member of the National Dairy Producers Organization joined us on today’s Dairy Radio Now:

The Agriculture Department announced the May Federal order Class I base milk price at another new record high, $25.45 per hundredweight, up $1.07 from April and $8.35 above May 2021. The five month average stands at $22.81, up from $15.70 a year ago, and $16.72 in 2020.

Milk output down 0.5%

U.S. milk production lagged year ago levels for the fifth consecutive month in March however that trend may soon end. The Agriculture Department’s latest preliminary data shows March output at 19.7 billion pounds, down 0.5% from Mar. 2021, and follows the revised 0.9% drop in February. March output in the top 24 producing states totaled 18.8 billion pounds, down 0.4%.

Revisions raised the original 50-State February estimate by 18 million pounds to 17.53 billion, 0.9% below a year ago, instead of the 1.0% reported.

Milk output for First Quarter totaled 56.3 billion pounds, down 1.0% from the same period in 2021. Cow numbers totaled 9.38 million head, unchanged from the October to December quarter, but 85,000 below a year ago.

Farmers are adding cows back. March numbers totaled 9.395 million head, up 15,000 from February, but were still down 87,000 from a year ago. The February count was revised up 10,000 head.

March output per cow averaged 2,096 pounds, up 8 pounds or 0.4% from 2021.

California production totaled 3.7 billion pounds, up 19 million pounds or 0.5% from a year ago, thanks a thousand additional cows outweighing a 10 pound loss per cow. Wisconsin output totaled 2.7 billion pounds, up 6 million or 0.2%. Cow numbers were up 3,000 and output per cow was unchanged from a year ago.

Idaho was unchanged in cow numbers, output per cow, and total production. Michigan was down 2.9% on 15,000 fewer cows, though output per cow was up 10 pounds. Minnesota was down 2.6% on a 15 pound drop per cow and 9,000 fewer cows. New Mexico was down 9.3% on 37,000 fewer cows. Output per cow was up 45 pounds.

New York was off down 1.0% on 6,000 fewer cows though output per cow was unchanged. Oregon was up 1.3% on a 10 pound drop per cow and 1,000 more cows. Pennsylvania was down 2.2%, on 8,000 fewer cows and a 10 pound drop per cow. South Dakota cows put 20% more milk in the tank, thanks to 30,000 more cows being milk and offsetting a 10 pound drop per cow. Texas output, while still a long ways from Number 2 Wisconsin, was up 6.7%, on 22,000 more cows and a 65 pound gain per cow.

Vermont was off 0.9% on a 15 pound drop per cow but cow numbers were unchanged. Washington State was down 4.0% on a loss of 145,000 cows, though output per cow was up 25 pounds.

There was a fund raiser for PA State Senator John Lawrence Monday in Lancaster County.  Senator Lawrence is a sponsor in the PA Senate for the bill to allow PA whole milk in schools.  Congressman GT Thompson, Ranking Member of the House Ag Committee was there and John Clark interviewed him.

The current bill has made it through the PA House and is working its way to the PA Senate.  Hopes are high that the Governor will sign it, in time for the kids to get PA Preferred whole milk for the start of the 2022 – 2023 school year.

Farm milk prices keep heading higher, but they need to. The Agriculture Department announced the March Federal order Class III benchmark price at $22.45 per hundredweight, up $1.54 from February, $6.30 above March 2021, and the highest Class III since Nov. 2020. The three month average stands at $21.25, up from $15.98 at this time a year ago and $16.77 in 2020.

The March Class IV price is a record high $24.82, up 82 cents from February, the previous high, and $10.64 above a year ago. The three month average is at $23.97, up from $13.71 a year ago and $15.91 in 2020. Courtesy of the Mielke Market Weekly.

John Clark talks with Jason Lloyd, VP of the NY Holstein Assn:

Gary Genske with Genske Mulder & Company, certified public accountants, joined us on today’s Dairy Radio to share concerns about future feed prices: