Here is a brief look at the news affecting dairy producers during the second week of October 2023:

Natzke dave
Dave Natzke
Editor / Progressive Dairy

Digest highlights

Check Form I-9 document edition date

Time to check the date on the Form I-9 document used to verify employment eligibility of your dairy workers. Starting Nov. 1, you can only use the Form I-9 with an edition date of Aug. 1, 2023.

All U.S. employers must properly complete Form I-9 for every individual they hire for employment in the U.S. For additional information and completion and filing instructions, visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website. A free webinar is available here.

Dairy biosecurity toolbox enhanced

The FARM Program launched FARM Biosecurity – Enhanced, including online training and a database to develop and securely store enhanced biosecurity plans. Complementary tools include preparation and database user guides.

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Addressing both domestic and foreign animal disease threats, FARM Biosecurity resources aim to protect dairy cattle, build resiliency and build future business continuity opportunities for the dairy industry.

FARM Biosecurity – Enhanced incorporates the on-farm elements of the Secure Milk Supply Plan for Continuity of Business, which was designed to help the dairy industry prepare for an outbreak of highly contagious foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). It not only securely stores the biosecurity plans, but with producer permission will share the plans with state animal health officials for their approval to speed up issuing a movement permit in the event of an FMD outbreak.

Dairy exports sales continue to lag

Here’s a look at Progressive Dairy’s ag trade summary for August 2023.

  • Dairy products: U.S. dairy exports continued to lag in August, with volume down 10.8% (milk solids equivalent) versus the same month a year ago, according to a monthly market update from the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC). August trade data looked very similar to July, with U.S. nonfat dry milk and skim milk powder posting a respectable gain but most other product categories failing to match last year’s record performance. Year to date through August, U.S. export volume remains off by 6.9%, with value running -13% compared to January-August 2022. Separately, the Department of Commerce/Bureau of the Census estimated U.S. dairy exports through the first 11 months of fiscal year 2023 (October 2022-August 2023) at about $7.9 billion, down 5% from the same period a year earlier. Fiscal year-to-date dairy imports were estimated at $5.1 billion, up 15%, with cheese imports up 10% at $1.54 billion.
  • Dairy genetics: With a large shipment to Turkey, the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) estimated export sales of U.S. dairy replacement heifers continued on a roller coaster. Following a pattern of being up and down in alternating months, August sales rose to 1,837 head. January-August exports now total 10,386, up nearly 4,000 head from sales during the same period a year ago. Besides live dairy replacements, exports of dairy embryos were estimated at 572 in August, bringing the year-to-date total to 7,776. China is the leading market with 3,864.
  • Alfalfa exports rebound: August exports of alfalfa hay were estimated at 200,453 metric tons (MT), a nine-month high. Export volume to China was the highest in six months. However, January-August sales are still the smallest to start a year since 2015. August exports of other hay were steady at 76,760 MT. Year-to-date sales total 614,403 MT, the smallest total to start a year in at least two decades.
  • Negative ag trade balance grows: The May-August 2023 U.S. ag trade balance has now turned in the largest four-month deficit in history. The U.S. Department of Commerce/Census Bureau estimated the value of August agricultural exports at $12.48 billion and the value of ag imports at $16.1 billion, yielding a trade deficit of $3 billion or more for a fourth straight month. With one month to go, the fiscal year 2023 agricultural trade deficit is about $17.1 billion.

In case you missed it

The USDA has awarded $27.6 million in grants to 41 organizations in 27 states, providing training, outreach and technical assistance to underserved and veteran farmers, ranchers and foresters. Funding is made through USDA’s 2501 Program and administered by the USDA Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE).

Coming up

  • The USDA’s monthly World Ag Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report is released on Oct. 12, including latest forecasts for 2023-24 milk and beef production and prices. On the same day, the USDA updates the 2023 Crop Production report which, combined with WASDE, projects dairy feedstuff supplies and prices.
  • September Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) uniform prices, producer price differentials and pooling data is being released Oct. 11-14.

 For analysis and summaries, check the Progressive Dairy website.