Dairy Reports

Unprecedented Genetic Gains are Driving Record Milk Components

March 2025

Genetic improvements within the U.S. dairy herd are fueling historic gains in key milk components needed to produce cheese, butter and a variety of other popular dairy foods.

Beef-on-Dairy Data Suggests Opportunity for Feedlots and Processors

February 2025

Dairy producers have taken notice of higher cattle prices and accelerated the use of beef genetics on their dairy cows over the past seven years.

Mexico Has Become America’s Most Reliable Dairy Customer

December 2024

Domestic dairy product consumption has climbed to the highest levels in over six decades and dairy exports are close to record levels.

Why Milk Components Matter More Than Milk Production

September 2024

Since the first release in 1924, USDA’s Milk Production reports have been the gold standard for tracking milk available for processing.

Dairy Products Have More Growth Potential

July 2024

Most U.S. consumers purchase dairy, which is also the largest category in retail.

Dwindling Dairy Heifer Numbers May Inhibit New Milk Production

February 2024

Just behind feed and labor, the cost of raising a dairy heifer is the third-highest expense on dairy farms.

Dairy Cattle Genomics is Quietly Improving Sustainability

January 2024

As food producers, processors, marketers, distributors, and consumers look to effectively manage their environmental footprint and social impact, sustainability of the dairy industry is under examination. But dairy has a largely untold portion of that story: genomics.

The Butterfat Boom Has Just Begun

November 2023

Once cast as nutritional villains due to their high saturated fat content, full-fat dairy products and other animal fats fell out of favor beginning in the 1970s. Nutrition research in the past 15 years suggests full-fat dairy has a much more nuanced role – and potentially protective effect – on health, and consumers have responded.

Breeding Beef with Dairy Brings New Value to Marketplace

August 2023

Abysmally dry weather conditions across the U.S. have led to extensive culling in the beef cow herd and will tighten beef supplies for years to come.

Higher Food Inflation, Slowing Economy Dampen Dairy Demand

May 2023

Average U.S. mailbox milk prices have dropped more than $6.00/cwt since peaking last May. While milk supply here and in Europe has been edging marginally higher since late 2022, we would argue that the price decline is largely due to broader economic factors that are limiting dairy demand both in the U.S. and abroad. 

Updating Make Allowances is Central to the Future of Federal Milk Marketing Orders

January 2023

Federal Milk Marketing Orders establish the minimum prices that regulated processors must pay for farm milk. 

Record Butter Prices May Push Consumers to Cheaper Options and Slow Cheese Production

June 2022

Prices for retail butter are outpacing nearly all other goods — up 13% YTD according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics — and the worry about its impact on demand is legitimate. 

COVID-19 Spiked Demand for High-Protein Whey, but is Growth Sustainable?

February 2022

The U.S. is one of the world leaders in whey production and exports. Technological advances have created new value streams beyond commodity whey. In the last 20 years, whey has been transformed from a cheese-making waste byproduct often spread on farm fields as a low-value fertilizer to a highly valuable co-product, driven by rising global consumer demand for protein.

US Dairy Processors Must Be Versatile to Compete in Southeast Asia

June 2021

Over the past decade, U.S. milk production has increased by an average annual growth rate of 1.5% while domestic demand has increased at a slightly slower pace.

Dollar Divergence: US Dollar Index Does Not Reflect True Dollar Impact on US Ag Exports

February 2021

The U.S. Dollar Index saw rapid deflation in 2020 and has coincided with a rally in commodity prices.