In the news this week: CARB approves Low Carbon Fuel Standard program updates, DFA plans to stop production at Indiana condensing plant in January, checkoff launches new conservation resource, and DCRC annual meeting addresses sustainable dairy cattle management practices.

In coordination with state health departments in Michigan and Colorado, the CDC tested blood from people who were exposed to dairy cows with H5N1 bird flu infection, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Eight of the 115 people tested (7% of participants) showed evidence of recent H5N1 virus infection.

The USDA’s World Ag Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report offers forecasts for dairy, beef and feedstuffs.

• Requirement for electronic ID tags now in effect
• Utah becomes 15th state with HPAI in dairy, following mandatory surveillance
• GDT index up 4.8%
• November FSA interest rates continue to low
• Farmer sentiment bounced back in October

Here’s an update on news impacting your dairy as October 2024 comes to an end.

Dairy cull cows marketed through U.S. slaughter plants in September lowest since 2007.

Here are some updates in dairy news this week.

Milk futures remain high as feed costs drop to levels last seen in 2020, yet other market pressures such as lower butter and cheese prices and waning holiday demand, as well as recent milk production reports revealing gains for the first time in more than a year, complicate the matter.

U.S. milk production was down 3.9% in September compared to a month prior, according to the USDA’s September Milk Production report released Oct. 21. Production was up 0.1% year over year, while third quarterly estimates (July-September) were also up slightly from the same time in 2023.