With the current academic year winding down, there’s no recess in the debate over flavored milk options served in school meal programs.

Based on Class III-IV milk futures prices, depooling incentives flip back to Class IV milk handlers in May and June.

If and once a hearing is granted, multiple steps mean any proposed FMMO changes would be subject to a producer referendum in late summer 2024, at the earliest.

The USDA announced that agricultural producers and private landowners can begin applying for the Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) sign-up starting April 17 through May 26, 2023.

The National Milk Producers Federation is expected to submit its own FMMO hearing request to the USDA later in April.

Central to IDFA and WCMA petitions are make allowances, incorporated into FMMO milk pricing formulas two decades ago.

Here’s an update on risk management tools available through the USDA and/or USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA), as well as information impacting your milk check.