The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released its Agricultural Prices report Dec. 31, 2024, which includes feed costs used to calculate the November Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program margins and indemnity payments. As expected, the margin fell to $14.29 per hundredweight (cwt).

The 2024 year ended with Class III prices showing more traction in December than in previous months as cheese and whey protein prices improved, and Class IV prices remained elevated to reflect strong market conditions.

Ten states including California, New Mexico and Idaho reduced milk production a combined 370 million pounds in November.

Here is a look at news affecting a dairy producer's bottom line this third week of December 2024.

Here’s Progressive Dairy’s monthly review of November 2024 FMMO data to provide some additional transparency to your milk check.

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

U.S. dairy producer November milk checks are likely weakening to end the year.

In the past decade alone, domestic per-capita consumption of cheese is up 19% and per-capita butter consumption is up 18.1%.

Here is what is happening in dairy-related news as we start the final month of the year: Fluid milk sales declined in September, Trump nominates Brooke Rollins for secretary of agriculture, Holstein updates pedigrees with slick gene label, and new dairy innovations are promoted.