Praise for trade deals

The National Milk Producers Federation is praising the new Trump administration trade deals in Southeast Asia. NMPF Vice President of Trade Policy and Global Affairs Shawna Morris said that’s positive news for the U.S. dairy industry. “The markets down there are really at a dairy deficit,” Morris said. “They need a lot more dairy than their local farms and industry can produce.” Agreements are in place with Malaysia and Cambodia and framework deals were negotiated with Thailand and Vietnam. “Cambodia is totally eliminating the dairy tariff,” Morris said. “Malaysia is eliminating almost all of it, creating access in the few spots where tariffs are going to remain in place.”

Rollins outlines dairy policy agenda

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins outlined the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s priorities for the dairy industry at the joint meeting of the National Milk Producers Federation, National Dairy Board and United Dairy Industry Association. Rollins focused on four main points: incentivizing dairy consumption with changes to the federal dietary guidelines; lowering production costs; supporting investments in milk processing; and expanding markets. Rollins also spoke about the importance of labor issues in the dairy industry.

Optimism in dairy sector

Farm Business Management instructor Nate Converse says the quarterly financial reports are coming in slightly better than the forecasts made earlier this year. “Milk prices are a little lower than what we would have projected sitting at the table in March of last year, but calf and cull cow prices made up for that, and feed prices have been relatively favorable.” On the negative side, Class III futures are lower than hoped for in this fourth quarter and the early part of 2026. Fortunately, high beef cattle prices have given dairy farmers a significant source of revenue. “Take the cull revenue and the beef calf revenue and divide it out by the hundredweights of milk produced and it’s been sitting pretty consistently at the $4 to $5 range in per hundredweight of milk just in income coming from bull calves and cull cows, so even with a little lower milk price, that’s been bolstering farm income for the dairy sector.” Converse, based in Little Falls, Minnesota, said dairy farm expansion has been hampered by the availability and cost of replacement dairy heifers and high construction costs.

September milk production report released

In September, milk production in the 24 major dairy states totaled 18.3 billion pounds. That’s up 4.2% from September 2024. In Minnesota, milk output is up 4.5% from a year ago. That’s with an increase of 14,000 cows in Minnesota’s dairy herd. South Dakota added 19,000 cows and milk production rose 9.4%. This report was previously scheduled for release Oct. 22. The October milk production totals will be released Nov. 21, as previously scheduled.

Bring whole milk back to schools

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall believes it is time to reintroduce whole milk to schools. “U.S. milk production is on pace to reach a record high in 2025, but fluid consumption continues to decline,” Duvall said. “Allowing whole milk back into schools would increase demand for butterfat, while providing important ingredients for America’s school children.” The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act would overturn USDA restrictions that limit schools to providing only fat-free or 1% milk.

Ag represented on trade trip

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz led a trade delegation to Europe this past week. Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen was also part of the delegation. “Germany and Switzerland value high-quality agricultural products, and we see great opportunity for Minnesota’s farmers in these markets,” Petersen said.

Dairy checkoff returns

Texas A&M Regents professor Dr. Oral ‘Jug’ Capps Jr. has completed an independent economic analysis of the dairy promotion programs since 2011. Regarding the partnerships with McDonald’s, Taco Bell and Domino’s, the research found an additional 18.5 billion pounds of dairy products were sold at retail, providing $876 million cumulatively to farmers from 2009 to 2024, for a net return of $3.49 on the dollar. Dairy export promotion resulted in 43.5 additional pounds exported per dollar spent, returning $12.17 on the dollar to dairy farmers. Whole-fat science research from 2012-2024 generated 8.2 billion additional pounds sold for a return of $34.55.

Increase for Minnesota beef checkoff scheduled

A referendum vote has been scheduled for a possible increase to the Minnesota beef checkoff. The current checkoff rate is $1 per head, with those funds split evenly between the state and national promotion and research programs. The proposal would bump that rate by another 50 cents a head, but it would be refundable if requested. An in-person hearing will take place at the Minnesota Cattle Industry Convention in early December, and there will be two other virtual hearings in January. Ballots will be mailed out at the end of March. It’s been more than 30 years since the last checkoff increase.

EmPower+ launched

Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative and Farmers for Sustainable Food have launched EmPower+. This program is designed as a data-driven effort to measure, report and verify greenhouse gas emission reductions at the farm level.

Rexing succeeds Mooney at NMPF

Indiana dairy farmer Brian Rexing is the new chairman of the NMPF. Rexing succeeds Randy Mooney, who was in that role for 17 years. Associated Milk Producers Incorporated Sheryl Meshke is a member of the NMPF executive committee.

Noll family earns national dairy excellence award

The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management Program’s Excellence Awards were presented at this past week’s joint annual meeting of the NMPF, UDIA and NDB. One of the four award winners is from the Midwest: Five Star Dairy Farm LLC of Alma, Wisconsin. Curtis, Mark and Scott Noll were recognized for their environmental stewardship. Five Star Dairy Farm is a member of AMPI.

Cooperative Network names new executive director

Ben Nelson has been selected to lead Cooperative Network as the organization’s executive director. Cooperative Network is the largest statewide cooperative trade association in the U.S., representing a diverse and active group of members.

Trivia challenge

Kraft has been the biggest manufacturer of mac and cheese since the 1940s. That answers our last trivia question. For this week’s trivia, in the holiday movie, “The Polar Express,” the conductor serves what dairy-based drink on the train? We’ll have the answer in our next edition of the Dairy Star.

Don Wick is owner/broadcaster for the Red River Farm Network of Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wick has been recognized as the National Farm Broadcaster of the Year and served as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. Don and his wife, Kolleen, have two sons, Tony and Sam, and five grandchildren, Aiden, Piper, Adrienne, Aurora and Sterling.