Yesterday, we discussed the hog to corn ratio and cost of production for pork producers; today is a look at the dairy sector. As would be expected, all the same cost issues are affecting dairy production from labor, to energy, to transportation, and of course feed. The milk-income-over-feed-costs Dairy Margin Insurance Coverage (DMC) payments were triggered for August, for the first time since November 2021. Under the program, producers can cover margins that fall below $9.50/cwt; note that catastrophic coverage is triggered for all producers (regardless of their participation in the program at $4.00/cwt).
The national average margin for August was $8.08 per cwt; it was lower in the west. Milk prices rebounded from 2021 as product slowed...
What You Need to Know Today: Crude oil prices extended their rally today, supported by several developments, including escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabian oil infrastructure and growing concerns about supply disruptions. The Trump administration is reportedly preparing to remove 50 perc...
Key Takeaways: The agricultural trade surplus has become a sizable deficit: the balance swung from a $40.1 billion surplus in 2011 to a $40.7 billion deficit in 2025. Imports kept growing while exports lost momentum: between 2020 and 2025, agricultural imports increased 45 percent, compa...
USDA released its October Cattle on Feed report Friday, showing 11.4 million cattle in feedlots with capacity for 1,000 head or more, slightly below last year. September placements were the lowest for the month since records began in 1996, marking the third consecutive month of placements sett...
Total Red Meat & Poultry September 2026 total red meat and poultry stocks totaled 1.97 billion pounds, down 1.4 percent from August despite typically increasing 0.8 percent during the month, and were 1.5 percent below September 2025 levels. The decline pushed total inventories to a new five...
