Roughly 40% of all U.S. dairy farms have non-family member employees, and about 70% of those workers are immigrant employees.

National FFA 2023 Agricultural Proficiency Award recipients were named during the 96th National FFA Convention & Expo, Nov. 1-4, in Indianapolis.

The swell of placements in September, along with less marketing, left the U.S. feedlot inventory with a total of 11.6 million head as of Oct. 1, 2023, according to the USDA’s October Cattle on Feed report.

Overall, 81 projects were awarded more than $1 billion under the 2023 RCPP, administered by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

With improving milk prices and margins and tightening cow numbers, average prices for U.S. replacement dairy cows moved to an eight-year high in October.

Struggling cheese and protein prices weakened the Class III price, offsetting strong butterfat and Class IV prices and widening the Class III-IV price spread, adding substantial Class IV depooling incentives.

Here is a brief look at the news affecting dairy producers as October 2023 comes to a close.

Farm lending activity at commercial banks has slowed as the Federal Reserve Board’s Federal Open Market Committee meets to consider adjusting interest rates again.

With congressional failure to approve a 2023 Farm Bill, new milk supply contracts under the Dairy Forward Pricing Program are no longer authorized.

Here is a brief look at the news affecting dairy producers during the second week of October 2023.