Progressive Dairy summarizes factors potentially impacting dairy producer income based on the USDA’s latest World Ag Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) and Crop Production reports.

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

Without approval in the 2023 Farm Bill, the Dairy Margin Coverage program expires at the end of the year.

Milk checks for September production will again reflect stronger protein and Class III milk prices. That will change on October production, with struggling cheese prices weakening the Class III price and widening the Class III-IV price spread, adding substantial Class IV depooling incentives.

I have long been an advocate for self-care. Now, with the unique challenges our world faces, it’s more important than ever. You may be wondering, “What is self-care, anyways?”

Young farm families have many expectations to manage as they work on farms as employees, raise small children and juggle time for off-farm revenue. One of the best ways to have less stress about compensation from the farm is to figure out what you need for personal family living expenses.

With a federal government shutdown possible, October’s dairy risk management calendar has the potential to be scarier than Halloween.