Milk produced and marketed in the 11 states in the southeastern U.S. is pooled on the Appalachian, Southeast and Florida Federal Milk Marketing Orders (FMMOs).

March 2023’s Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) advanced Class I base price moved lower, falling below $19 per hundredweight for the first time since November 2021.

• 2023 DMC milk enrollment percentage up
• House farm bill hearing held at World Ag Expo
• Gillibrand announces 2023 Farm Bill dairy priorities
• Coming up

It wasn’t a rush to the pools but Class IV represented about 12.5% of the total milk pooled in all FMMOs in January, the highest volume and percentage since last May. It probably won't last.

Update highlights

• January FMMO Class III-IV prices lower
• Fed raises interest rate
• GDT index rises
• Ag producer sentiment starts year stronger
• Coming up

October 2022 “mailbox” prices averaged about $1.04 per cwt less than announced average “all-milk” price for the same month.

Digest highlights

• Hearing set to consider southeast U.S. FMMO proposals
• Farmers sought for study about how they balance children and work
• JDS: Milk’s packaging influences its flavor
• Other news, briefly

Digest highlights

• USDA announces second round of PMVAP payments
• $100 million Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program announced
• WOTUS lawsuit filed
• IDFA adds economist, policy support
• USDA updates organic enforcement rule
• 2025-30 Dietary Guideline Advisory Committee named
• USDA seeks comment on proposed animal disease traceability regulations
• Animal welfare group wants increased regulation of ‘custom-exempt’ slaughter operations
• Other news, briefly

Update highlights

• February 2023 Class I base price on the move again
• December cull dairy cow marketing higher
• Inflation hit dairy aisle in 2022
• November fluid sales stayed on trend
• GDT index dipped
• Coming up

While most of NMPF recommendations were approved last October, a specific recommendation related to Class I pricing differentials has taken longer to develop.