November milk output was up for the 47th consecutive month in the U.S., totaling 16.2 billion pounds in the top 23 states, according to preliminary Agriculture Department data, up 1.1 percent from November 2016. The 50-state total, at 17.3 billion pounds, was up 1.0 percent. Revisions lowered the October 23-state estimate by 27 million pounds, now put at 16.7 billion pounds, up 1.3 percent from a year ago.
Milk cow numbers totaled 8.73 million head in the 23 states, unchanged from October but 57,000 more than a year ago. The 50-state total, at 9.4 million head, was unchanged from October but 53,000 above a year ago. Output per cow averaged 1,861 pounds in the 23 states, up 9 pounds.
California trailed its year ago output for the 11th consecutive month, down 34 million pounds or 1.1 percent, due to 14,000 fewer cows and a 5 pound loss per cow. Wisconsin was up just 0.9 percent, on a 20 pound gain per cow, but cow numbers were down 1,000 head from a year ago.
New York edged out Idaho for the Number 3 slot, though output was off 0.3 percent due to a 20 pound loss per cow. Cow numbers were up 5,000. Idaho was down 0.6 percent on a 15 pound drop per cow and cow numbers were up 100. Pennsylvania was up 2.1 percent, thanks to a 35 pound gain per cow. Cow numbers were unchanged. Minnesota was up 1.5 percent, on a 40 pound gain per cow offsetting a 4,000 cow loss.
Michigan was up 2.2 percent, on a 20 pound gain per cow and 5,000 more cows. New Mexico was up 2.0 percent, on 6,000 more cows and a 5 pound gain per cow. Texas was up 5.9 percent, thanks to 25,000 more cows and a 15 pound gain per cow. Washington State was off 0.8 percent, on a 5 pound loss per cow and 1,000 fewer cows.
U.S. dairy cow culling nose-dived in November but was up slightly from November 2016, according to the USDA’s latest Livestock Slaughter report.
An estimated 243,700 head were slaughtered under federal inspection, down 17,300 head from October but 500 head above a year ago. Culling in the first 11 months of 2017 totaled 2.74 million head, up 108,000 from a year ago.
Hemorrhaging in the Global Dairy Trade (GDT) auction was back December 19, the last GDT of 2017. All products offered suffered losses, with the weighted average plunging 3.9 percent, after inching up 0.4 percent on December 5, reversing a 3.4 percent plunge November 21 and 3.5 percent on November 7.
GDT Cheddar led the declines, down 7.9 percent after dropping 3.9 percent last time. Anhydrous milkfat was down 6.7 percent, after inching 0.6 percent lower last time. Skim milk power was down 4.8 percent, after leading the gains last time with a 4.7 percent uptick. Whole milk powder was down 2.5 percent, after a 1.7 percent gain, and butter fell 2.3 percent after an 11.1 percent meltdown last time.
FC Stone equated the GDT 80 percent butterfat butter price to $1.9799 per pound U.S. CME butter closed Friday at $2.18. GDT Cheddar cheese equated to $1.5374 per pound and compares to Friday’s CME block Cheddar at $1.4925. GDT skim milk powder averaged 75.97 cents per pound and whole milk powder averaged $1.2496. CME Grade A nonfat dry milk closed at 66 1/2-cents per pound.
Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) accepted 23 requests for export assistance the week of December 18 from several of its member cooperatives to sell 3.108 million pounds of cheese and 661,387 pounds of butter to customers in Asia, Central America, the Middle East and North Africa. The product has been contracted for delivery through March 2018 and raised CWT’s 2017 exports to 73.380 million pounds of American-type cheeses and 5.907 million pounds of butter (82 percent milkfat) to 21 countries on five continents.
Cash dairy prices weakened the week before Christmas. A somewhat bullish Milk Production report may have added some strength to the cheese and powder but traders were also anticipating the November Cold Storage report.
CME block Cheddar fell to $1.4350 per pound Wednesday, lowest price since March 21, 2017, but jumped a nickel Friday and closed at $1.4925, down 3 3/4- cents on the week, down 22 1/4-cents since November 3, and 19 3/4-cents below a year ago when they dropped 11 cents. The barrels dipped to $1.40 Wednesday, lowest price since July 10, 2017, but closed Friday at $1.41, down 25 cents on the week, 14 1/2-cents below a year ago when they dropped 14 1/2-cents, and reversed the inverted spread to 8 1/2-cents below the blocks. Nine cars of block traded hands on the week at the CME and 42 of barrel.
Cheese producers accepted spot milk at marked discounts this week, according to Dairy Market News, ranging $4 to $8 under Class III. Cheese sales remained steady to slow. DMN says there will be some allotted days off during the holidays but plants plan to ramp up cheese production to meet the abundant milk intakes.
Western cheese makers report solid domestic retail and food service demand has generally helped support the cheese market this fall. However, as holiday shipment obligations are fulfilled, there is concern that there may be a lull following the winter holidays, but before the football playoffs.
Cash butter finished the week at $2.18 per pound, down 6 1/2-cents and 6 3/4-cents below a year ago. That’s the first time in almost a year that it fell below a year ago. Seventeen cars found new homes on the week.
DMN says butter sales are on par with previous years. Holiday retail orders are completed, thus food service is now one of the priorities on the production side. Cream has been abundant but the market tone remains somewhat resilient.
The western butter market was steady to weak this week. Contacts report that prices are higher than expected as holiday orders have mostly been fulfilled and butter supplies are plentiful. Some buyers are expecting and waiting for further price decreases so they are limiting purchases to their immediate needs.
Cash Grade A nonfat dry milk set another record low 64 3/4-cents per pound Tuesday but closed Friday at 66 1/2-cents, up three quarter-cents on the week but 35 1/2-cents below a year ago, with 17 cars exchanging hands on the week at the CME.
The Agriculture Department released its November Cold Storage report near the end of Friday’s trading and showed U.S. butter stocks were down 27 percent from October and 1 percent below November 2016. Total cheese was down 1 percent from October but 6 percent above a year ago. I’ll have more details next week.
The first Class I base milk price of 2018 was announced by the USDA at $15.44 per hundredweight, down $1.44 from December 2017, $2.01 below January 2017, and equates to about $1.33 per gallon, down from $1.45 in December. It is the lowest Class I price since June 2017.
“In the space of four years, the national income from agricultural production dropped by more than half. This staggering erosion of profit is being worked out in the Ag economy in many ways. USDA just released figures showing that in those 4 years (2013-2017) farm debt rose almost 20 percent. Eventually, if commodity prices do not rise, debt levels can’t continue to rise because there will not be the cash flow to service the increased debt. Putting additional pressure in this area is the expected Federal Reserve actions this month. An announcement on an interest rate increase is widely expected. Obviously, the most direct impact of this interest rate increase on farm businesses is on the interest rate of lines of credit and short term variable rate loans,” the Outlook concludes.
USDA’s latest Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook, as always, mirrored much of the December 12 World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report and echoed the negative sentiment of the dairy markets.
Addressing the all-important feed equation, the Outlook stated; The 2017/18 price forecast for corn is $2.85-$3.55 per pound, unchanged from last month’s forecast at the midpoint of the range. The soybean meal price forecast is $295-$335 per short ton, unchanged from last month. The alfalfa hay price in October was $152 per short ton, $3 more than September and $17 more than 2016.
“The fourth-quarter 2017 forecast for the size of the dairy herd was unchanged at 9.405 million head but the fourth-quarter milk per cow forecast was lowered to 5,675 pounds based on recent data. These changes result in a milk forecast of 215.7 billion pounds, 100 million pounds lower than the previous forecast.
In politics, President Trump signed a continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown Friday morning as well as his sweeping tax reform legislation.
“At issue is the loss of the benefit that both farmers and cooperative businesses enjoy from the Section 199 deduction, also known as the Domestic Production Activities Deduction (DPAD). This important provision of the tax code applies to proceeds from agricultural products marketed through cooperatives, making the Section 199 an important means of reducing taxation for farmers and cooperatives alike,” says NMPF.
The Federation also praised passage of the disaster aid package which will eliminate the existing $20 million annual cap on the Livestock Gross Margin program, enabling the USDA to offer coverage to more farmers in the current LGM program and provide new risk management options for dairy producers.
Last, but surely not least, I wish my readers a blessed and joyous Christmas. There is a reason for this season and I pray you know it well.