The GDT was unchanged Tuesday, but the stability of the GDT is not bearish, according to StoneX dairy broker Dave Kurzawski. He talks about it with Lee Mielke:

The September benchmark milk price gained 58 cents this week and futures prices are showing a peak around $17.80. Will that be enough for U.S. farmers to stay in business? StoneX dairy broker, Dave Kurzawski, tackles that question.

The dairy markets had a lot to absorb this week but the smaller than expected 1.1% increase in August milk production and the fact that butter stocks fell below those a year ago for the first time since June 2019 were the top two. Lee Mielke talks about them with HighGround Dairy’s Lucas Fuess.

The Agriculture Department announced the October Federal order Class I base milk price at $17.08 per hundredweight, up 49 cents from September, $1.88 above October 2020, and equates to $1.47 per gallon, up from $1.31 a year ago.

The ten month average stands at $16.48, down from $16.50 a year ago and $16.64 in 2019.
Courtesy of the Mielke Market Weekly

Dairy market analyst Matt Gould updated Dairy Radio Now listeners on the latest export concerns relating to port congestion.

Milk tightness is underpinning the markets, according to Stone X dairy broker Dave Kurzawski. He talks with Lee Mielke about it on today’s Dairy Radio Now:

U.S. dairy exports still looking strong. HighGround Dairy’s Lucas Fuess talks with Lee Mielke about it and why farm milk checks aren’t reflecting that:

Port congestion is exacerbating shipping woes all over the world. Dairy analyst Matt Gould joins us on today’s Dairy Radio Now to discuss dairy’s impact.

The Agriculture Department announced details of the Pandemic Market Volatility Assistance Program to help dairy producers. HighGround Dairy’s Lucas Fuess talks with Lee Mielke about it:

The June Dairy Products report had a few surprises in it but likely isn’t going to influence the market, according to StoneX Dairy’s Dave Kurzawski. He talks about it with Lee Mielke:

The Agriculture Department announced the July Federal order Class III benchmark milk price at $16.49 per hundredweight, down 72 cents from June and $8.05 below the artificially inflated price a year ago when Uncle Sam’s Food Box program was buying lots of cheese. Last year’s price was the second highest Class III ever, at $24.54, just 6 cents shy of the record high set in September 2014.  

The seven month Class III average stands at $16.90, down from $17.30 at this time a year ago and compares to $15.58 in 2019.

The July Class IV price is $16.00, down 35 cents from June but $2.24 above a year ago. Its seven month average is at $15.01, up from $13.78 a year ago, and compares to $16.11 in 2019. Courtesy of the Mielke Market Weekly

Lots of eyes are on cheese prices these days and dairy producers have pizza to thank for prices being as good as they are. Lee Mielke talks about it with Matt Gould, analyst and editor of the Dairy and Food Market Analyst newsletter:

China’s June dairy imports remained strong and record breaking in some cases, according to Lucas Fuess, Director of Dairy Market Intelligence for Chicago-based HighGround Dairy. He talks with Lee Mielke about it, in light of the Global Dairy Trade auction’s continuing weakness:

USDA’s latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate report didn’t contain many changes on the feed grains side of the ledger. Bill Brooks, Dairy economist and principal of Missouri-based Stoneheart Consulting, talks with Lee Mielke about what it means for dairy farm profitability:

Corey Geiger, managing editor of Hoard’s Dairymen Magazine visits with Lee Mielke on today’s Dairy Radio:

The USDA’s much anticipated Grain Stocks report and acreage data had some surprises and warnings on feed prices ahead. HighGround Dairy’s Lucas Fuess talks about it with Lee Mielke:

U.S. dairy stocks are growing. StoneX Dairy’s Dave Kurzawski talks with Lee Mielke about what the May data says about consumption:

U.S. dairy cows produced a lot of milk in May, as they did in April. We’ve also produced a lot of cheese, butter and powder from that milk. But we have also consumed and exported a lot of those products as we hear from Matt Gould, editor of the Dairy & Food Market Analyst newsletter:

The Agriculture Department announced additional COVID relief, including $500 million in American Rescue Plan funding, in The Emergency Food Assistance Program or TEFAP. It won’t be as generous to the dairy industry as the Food Box program, according to Nate Donnay, director of dairy market insight for StoneX Dairy in Chicago. He talks with Lee Mielke about it on today’s Dairy Radio:

Congestion at U.S. ports and the truck shortages within the U.S. has challenged the U.S. dairy industry at an inopportune time. Matt Gould, editor and analyst with the Dairy and Food Market Analyst newsletter, talks with Lee Mielke about it on our Mielke Monday:

The Agriculture Department’s April Cold Storage report had some good news for dairy farmers, according to HighGround Dairy’s Lucas Fuess. He talks with Lee Mielke about it as well as some breaks in feed prices.

Cheese prices fell this week as traders anticipated Thursday’s April Milk Production report. StoneX dairy brokers talks about it with Lee Mielke:

Lucas Fuess of High Ground Dairy in Chicago updates Dairy Radio listeners on the latest market conditions on today’s Mielke Monday, with Lee Mielke:

Federal milk market orders are under scrutiny again as many dairy producers suffered significant losses in income last year due to de-pooling provisions and negative producer price differentials. National milk has called for an emergency hearing on the issue. Lee Mielke talks about it with Hoards Dairyman’s Corey Geiger:

Rising feed costs are putting the squeeze on dairy farmers bottomline. Will milk prices keep up? Lee Mielke poses that question to StoneX dairy broker Dave Kurzawski:

March milk production was anything but bullish. Matt Gould, analyst and editor of the Dairy and Food Market Analyst newsletter updated Dairy Radio listeners with Lee Mielke:

The Biden Administration has elected to end the Food Box program at the end of May but it appears the Dairy Donation program will remain. We’ll get some response to that and a look at February dairy product commercial disappearance data with HighGround Dairy’s Lucas Fuess.

FC Stone X Group dairy broker Dave Kurzawski is Lee Mielke’s guest this week:

There seems to be no end to the money from Uncle Sam to offset the effects of the COVID. We talked about what’s in it for dairy with Matt Gould, analyst and editor of the Dairy and Food market Analyst newsletter:

How well do you know your cheese? We talk about Cheddar blocks and barrels in price discovery but what about Mozzarella? Hoards Dairyman’s Corey Geiger talks with Lee Mielke about a recent discussion on cheese on Hoard’s Dairy Livestream:

Tuesday’s Global Dairy trade saw whole milk powder take a tumble but HighGround Dairy’s Lucas Fuess says powder prices are still high, thanks to China. He talks with Lee Mielke about it and how a shipping container shortage is hurting U.S. exports:

Uncertainty seems to never end in the dairy industry and right now dairy farmers face some challenging contrasts. U.S. milk output is rising as we enter the spring flush, but will rising demand and exports offset that. Lee Mielke talks about it with StoneX dairy broker Dave Kurzawski:

Shock waves hit the dairy industry when the Biden Administration announced that it would not be renewing the food box program, a program that has greatly benefited the dairy industry. But the news isn’t all bad, according Matt Gould, editor and analyst of the Dairy and Food Market Analyst newsletter, who sorts it out with Lee Mielke on Dairy Radio Now’s Mielke Monday:

The January Milk Production and Cold Storage reports had a little fodder for the dairy market bulls however some of the milk production data is suspect, according to HighGround Dairy’s Lucas Fuess. He talks about it with Lee Mielke:

A lot of uncertainty surrounds the dairy markets which are waiting to see what will happen to government assistance, such as the food box feeding program. StoneX Dairy broker Dave Kurzawski talks with Lee Mielke about it:

U.S. export data for December left a lot to be desired, but data for the year was record breaking. Lee Mielke talks about it with HighGround Dairy’s Lucas Fuess as well as some export challenges we’re now facing as well as the high dairy feed prices.

U.S. milk output is gushing and several cooperatives have instituted supply management programs, even as milk is being dumped in some regions. Lee Mielke checks in with Matt Gould, editor and analyst of the Dairy and Food Market Analyst newsletter:

The dairy industry got hit with some very bearish data this week. HighGround Dairy’s Lucas Fuess talks with Lee Mielke about it and where there might be a silver lining:

The renewed Food Box program promises support for dairy prices, “For now,” says StoneX dairy broker Dave Kurzawski. He talks with Lee Mielke about it:

There’s been some chatter about how we price milk in this country and changes are being discussed, according to Matt Gould, analyst and editor of the Dairy and Food Market Analyst newsletter. He talks with Lee Mielke about it, and has a warning on what’s coming in 2021 feed costs for dairy farmers:

2021 had a good start with a strong Global Dairy Trade auction and word that Uncle Sam will continue USDA’s Food Box program. HighGround Dairy’s Lucas Fuess talks with Lee Mielke about it and also analyze the November Dairy Products report:

2020 “Redefined what we thought could happen in the dairy market and what is normal,” says StoneX dairy broker Dave Kurzawski. He warns that we are still in the pandemic and just because we’re changing the year doesn’t mean the world is going to be a whole lot different. He talks with Lee Mielke about it:

Some in the dairy industry applaud the pick of Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture in the Biden Administration, due to his current position heading the U.S. Dairy Export Council. But that may or may not be totally positive, according to Matt Gould, analyst and editor of the Dairy and Food Market Analyst newsletter. He talks with Lee Mielke about it:

Government lockdowns of restaurants across the country has huge ramifications for agriculture, including dairy. StoneX dairy broker Dave Kurzawski. talks with Lee Mielke about it:

The November Federal order Class III milk price hit $23.34 per hundredweight, up $1.73 from October, but a huge gap remains between Class III and Class I prices and portend continued de-pooling and large producer price differentials shorting dairy farmer milk checks. HighGround Dairy’s Lucas Fuess talks with Lee Mielke about it on today’s Dairy Radio Now:

With Thanksgiving in the rear view mirror, the dairy industry wonders what is down the road for dairy product prices. Lee Mielke talks about it with Dairy and Food Market Analyst editor Matt Gould:

We saw a pretty bearish October Milk Production report last week. HighGround Dairy’s Lucas Fuess talks about the ramifications with Lee Mielke on today’s Dairy Radio Now:

Cheese prices are falling and will pull milk prices lower but feed prices are rising. StoneX dairy broker, Dave Kurzawski, says last week’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report shows record corn exports and smaller crops. He talks with Lee Mielke about it:

A big “Thank you” to Minnesota Democrat Collin Peterson, ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee, who was defeated in his re-election bid. Hoards Dairyman’s Corey Geiger called Peterson a “champion for agriculture.”

The U.S. benchmark Class III milk price pole vaulted $5.18, to $21.61 per hundredweight, highest October price since 2014, with more to come, thanks in large part to Uncle Sam’s Farmers to Families Food Box program. The November Class III futures settled Wednesday at $23.77 and December at $20.17. Courtesy of the Mielke Market Weekly

Matt Gould of the Dairy Market Analyst Weekly Report newsletter joins us on the day before the general election to discuss the dairy markets:

September milk production was up more than expected. Is the U.S. dairy herd in an expansion mode? Lee Mielke poses the question to HighGround Dairy’s Lucs Fuess:

Strong dairy prices would seem to indicate that dairy product commercial disappearance must really be great. Not necessarily, according to Matt Gould, analyst and editor of the Dairy and Food Market Analyst newsletter. He talks with Lee Mielke about it:

The September benchmark milk price is dropping, however October is poised to shoot back up above $20. StoneX dairy broker Dave Kurzawski talks about it with Lee Mielke; as well as current cheese prices and the government’s Food Box program:

U.S. milk prices promise to remain relatively strong, however StoneX Dairy warns that government Food Box deliveries are beginning to slow. What does this mean for the dairy complex? Dairy broker Dave Kurzawski talks with Lee Mielke about it:

USDA’s Economic Research Service latest data shows a 60-year record high for U.S. per capita consumption of dairy products on a milk-fat milk-equivalent basis. Unfortunately, fluid milk is not contributing much to the increase. Lee Mielke discusses with Hoards Dairyman Managing Editor Corey Geiger:

July cheese disappearance topped that of a year ago, the third consecutive month to do so, according to HighGround Dairy’s Lucas Fuess. He talks with Lee Mielke about it as well as butter and powder:

Dairy demand remains “extremely volatile,” according to Matt Gould, analyst and editor of the Dairy and Food Market Analyst newsletter:

The dairy markets faces a lot of uncertainty ahead and several opposing forces, according to StoneX dairy broker Dave Kurzawski. He talks with Lee Mielke about them:

A Lot of milk money was left on the table recently and dairy farmers saw very little of it. Hoard’s Dairyman managing editor Corey Geiger talks with Lee Mielke about how much:

June U.S. dairy product commercial disappearance was encouraging but some clouds have moved in, in the form of the Global Dairy Trade auction and the July Milk Production report. HighGround Dairy’s Lucas Fuess talks with Lee Mielke about on today’s Dairy Radio:

The Agriculture Department announced the September Federal order Class I base milk price at $18.44 per hundredweight, down $1.34 from August, 59 cents above September 2019, and the highest September Class I since 2014. It equates to about $1.59 per gallon and pulls the 2020 Class I average to $16.65, up from $16.51 at this time a year ago and compares to $14.58 in 2018.
Courtesy: Mielke Market Weekly

The market volatility of the COVID pandemic forced many farmers to take a closer look at their financial statements, according to Hoard’s Dairyman managing editor Corey Geiger. He talks with Lee Mielke about it on Monday’s Dairy Radio:

While the June Class III milk price topped $20 per cwt., most dairy farmers won’t see their check that high because of quirks with the U.S. milk pricing system. The Daily Dairy Report’s Sarina Sharp explains on today’s Dairy Radio with Lee Mielke:

The Agriculture Department announced the July Federal order Class III benchmark milk price at $24.54 per hundredweight, up $3.50 from June, 6 cents shy of the all-time record $24.60 in September 2014, and $6.99 above July 2019. It put the 2020 average at $17.30, up from $15.58 a year ago and $14.37 in 2018

The July Class IV price is $13.76, up 86 cents from June but $3.14 below a year ago, and the lowest July Class IV price since 2015. Its average now sits at $13.78, down from $16.11 a year ago and compares to $13.73 in 2018. Posted by: Mielke Market Weekly

June dairy imports to China were “impressive,” according to HighGround Dairy’s Lucas Fuess. He talks with Lee Mielke about them on today’s Dairy Radio:

Today we take a look at the most recent milk production and cold storage reports from USDA, with Matt Gould, analyst and editor of the Dairy and Food Market Analyst newsletter:

The Agriculture Department announced the August Federal order Class I base milk price at $19.78 per hundredweight, up $3.22 from July, $1.89 above August 2019, and the highest Class I since December 2014. It equates to $1.70 per gallon, up from $1.42 in July and $1.54 a year ago. The 2020 Class I average stands at $16.42, up from $16.34 at this time a year ago and $14.54 in 2018.  
Courtesy: Mielke Market Weekly

Nate Donnay, Director of Dairy Market Insight for StoneX Group, talks with Lee Mielke about USDA’s May dairy product commercial disappearance data:

Forget gold. Invest in cheese. One could almost say that this past week as the CME Cheddar blocks set another record high Friday, closing at $2.9150 per pound, up 24 cents on the week and $1.13 above that week a year ago. Lee Mielke asks HighGround Dairy’s Lucas Fuess if the bubble will burst and how low will prices fall?

There was a lot of dairy news to sift through this last week, from a huge jump in the milk price to more government aid on the way. HighGround Dairy’s Lucas Fuess sorts it out with Lee Mielke:

Last Wednesday’s Hoards Dairyman DairyLivestream program examined the current recovery in milk prices. Managing editor Corey Geiger talks about it with Lee Mielke on today’s Dairy Radio:

Dairy product commercial disappearance plummeted in April but things have since turned around. HighGround Dairy’s Lucas Fuess chats with Lee Mielke about it on our Mielke Monday:

“We’re under a new paradigm of testing in this post-COVID world,” says FC Stone dairy broker, Dave Kurzawski, when asked if the higher milk prices will send the wrong signal to farmers. He talks with Lee Mielke about it:

Dairy processors are often at odds with dairy farmers but there are times they join together; as the two organizations that represent them worked to offset the effects of the COVID pandemic. That was the topic of last week’s Dairy Livestream from Hoards Dairyman. Managing editor Corey Geiger tells us more on today’s Dairy Radio:

Ironically, while cash block cheese set a new record high the first week of June Dairy Month, the Agriculture Department announced the May Federal order benchmark milk price Wednesday, which fell to its lowest level since September 2009.

The COVID-incited plunge in farm gate milk price hit bottom at $12.14 per hundredweight, down 93 cents from April and $4.24 below May 2019. That pulled the 2020 Class III average to $15.10, up from $15.05 at this time a year ago and $14.25 in 2018.

Class III futures settlements Wednesday portended a rebound in June to $19.83, with July at $18.68; August, $17.36; September, $17.02; October, $16.86; November, $16.66; and December at 16.42.

The May Class IV price is $10.67, down 73 cents from April, $5.62 below a year ago, and the lowest Class IV price since August 2009. The Class IV average stands at $13.96, down from $15.81 a year ago and compares to $13.42 in 2018.
Courtesy: Mielke Market Weekly

Dairy farmers had to dump milk on their farms in March and April due to the COVID pandemic. Matt Gould, analyst and editor of the Dairy and Food Market Analyst newsletter, ran the numbers and made some interesting observations about that milk. He shares what he learned with Lee Mielke:

Dairy producers remain optimistic and determined to get through the COVID-19 pandemic inspired downturn, according to Hoard’s Dairyman managing editor Corey Geiger, following last week’s Dairy Livestream discussion. He talks with Lee Mielke about it:

Dairy prices have seen some strength recently. HighGround Dairy’s Director of Dairy Market Intelligence, Lucas Fuess, talks about it with Lee Mielke. He also question’s the increase in U.S. milk output spelled out in last week’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate report:

U.S. dairy markets are recovering, though they have a long way to go, according to FC Stone dairy broker Dave Kurzawski. He talks with Lee Mielke about the three main elements that are driving this recovery.

Dairy farmers are being asked to reduce milk production by their cooperatives. Hoard’s Dairyman Managing Editor Corey Geiger talks with Lee Mielke about Hoard’s new Dairy LiveStream broadcast and what they learned from farmers who participated:

The March Milk Production report showed a larger than expected output but the Cold Storage report showed lower than expected inventories. FC Stone dairy broker Dave Kurzawski talks with Lee Mielke about them, as well as dairy’s number 1 price risk right now:

Matt Gould, editor and analyst with the Dairy and Food Market Analyst newsletter, talks with Lee Mielke about the negative media reporting of dairy farmers dumping milk in the U.S. and why that’s happening and what the “silver lining” might be in the current dairy market:

HighGround Dairy’s Lucas Fuess talks with Lee Mielke about the joint proposal by the National Milk Producers Federation and International Dairy Foods Association to help save the U.S. dairy industry:

FC Stone dairy broker Dave Kurzawski admits there isn’t much silver lining for the dairy markets. He reports that milk is being dumped in the U.S. and he warns of the long term ramifications on today’s Dairy Radio Now broadcast with Lee Mielke:

The Agriculture Department announced the March Federal order Class III milk price at $16.25 per hundredweight, down 75 cents from February but $1.21 above March 2019 and the highest March Class III since 2014. But that’s where the good news ends. More bloodletting is to come, thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. The three month average stands at $16.77, up from $14.30 a year ago and compares to $13.87 in 2018 but that average is about to fall as well.

Class III futures have been pulled sharply lower and Wednesday’s settlements portended an April price of $14.45; May, $13.12; and June at $13.56, with the peak in October of just $15.14.

The March Class IV price is $14.87, down $1.33 from February and 84 cents below a year ago and the lowest Class IV price since September 2018.  Its three month average is at $15.91, up from $15.68 a year ago and $13.01 in 2018.
Courtesy: Mielke Market Weekly

The global pandemic has plunged the world into a time of perplexity and uncertainty. Hoard’s Dairyman managing editor Corey Geiger addresses some of the arising concerns for dairy on today’s Dairy Radio.

HighGround Dairy warns that the coronavirus outbreak will result in a severe decline in restaurant and food service sales, which are a key driver of dairy demand, however retail and grocery demand has been exceptionally strong. Lucas Fuess talks with Lee Mielke about the situation, as they see it.

The coronavirus will impact dairy demand and prices but it may not be the disaster it might have been 10 years ago. FC Stone dairy broker Dave Kurzawski talks with Lee Mielke about it:

The U.S. dairy industry is being impacted by the coronavirus outbreak, even though it’s not a big exporter of dairy products to China. Matt Gould, analyst and editor of the Dairy and Food Market Analyst newsletter, talks with Lee Mielke about it.

The trade war with China over U.S. whey products, lactose, and infant formula is over, says Matt Gould, analyst and editor of the Dairy and Food Market Analyst newsletter. He talks with Lee Mielke about it and the additional potential for dairy product sales to China:

FC Stone dairy broker Dave Kurzawski gives a state of the dairy industry address and talks about the corona-virus and the Oscar’s slam on the industry.

The recent IDFA Dairy Forum showed a great mix of dairy processors, producers and retailers with more than 1,100 attendees. Corey Geiger, managing editor with Hoard’s Dairyman, shares his thoughts with Lee Mielke:

The U.S. dairy industry continues to consolidate and move westward, according to Daily Dairy Report editor and analyst Sarina Sharp who talks about it with Lee Mielke:

Matt Gould of the Dairy and Food Market Analyst says the December Cold Storage report shows bulging butter stocks. He puts it into perspective in his discussion with Lee Mielke.

The latest commercial disappearance data appears a bit disappointing; however FC Stone dairy broker Dave Kurzawski puts it into perspective and discusses the new block cheese price futures contract with Lee Mielke:

U.S. dairy exports looked good for November with strong performance across most commodities, according to High Ground Dairy’s Lucas Fuess. He talks with Lee Mileke about the numbers.

2019 milk prices reached the highest levels in five years but will they last in 2020? FC Stone dairy broker Dave Kurzawski gives Lee Mielke his read on things.

The US dairy industry produces some of the best quality milk in the world, though it has been hesitant to lower its maximum allowable somatic cell count standards to global levels. Corey Geiger, managing editor of Hoards Dairyman magazine, talks with Lee Mielke about that and the upcoming Quality Award winners:

The USDA’s latest dairy product commercial disappearance data helps explain recent prices, according to Matt Gould, analyst and editor of the Dairy and Food Market Analyst newsletter. He talks about with Lee Mielke on today’s Dairy Radio: