The Cattle on Feed report released April 17 by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) showed 11.6 million head of cattle being fed for the slaughter market in the U.S., down 2% from April 2024.

The milk market is taking shape with components reaching record highs and milk production climbing with the spring flush, but also with trade wars shaking the grain markets and concerns for domestic dairy demand letting up. Current forecasts predict 2025 dairy margins to be favorable although not as strong as previously anticipated.

Here is news affecting dairy producers' bottom lines in the middle of April 2025.

The U.S. dairy product export market stumbled in February as cheese continued its strong growth performance, recording a 7% year-over-year improvement in milk solid equivalents (MSE), but nonfat dry milk/skim milk powder (NFDM/SMP) fell to its lowest export value since 2019, leading to a year-over-year 5% fall in total dairy product exports. Here’s Progressive Dairy’s 30,000-foot look at dairy-related export categories.

The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released its Agricultural Prices report March 31, which includes feed costs and milk prices used to calculate the February Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program margins and indemnity payments. February’s margin was $13.12 per hundredweight (cwt), the result of an improved market for corn coupled with a 50-cent drop in the all-milk price.

The start of the new year predicted favorable margins throughout 2025. But as the spring flush arrives and consumer spending softens some, while at the same time headwinds are expected for the export markets, new concerns have arisen for the remainder of the year.

In the news affecting dairy producers' bottom lines the third week of March 2025: Class I base milk price falls again for April, the USDA begins disbursement of economic assistance to farmers, Hilmar opens new Kansas facility, and more scholarships are available.