According to the USDA, fluid milk consumption for the month of October increased 1.9 percent (84 million pounds) from the previous year and increased 9 percent (386 million pounds) from the prior month to 4.7 billion pounds. Fluid milk consumption, on a quantity basis, has not reached this level since March 2011. In addition, this is the largest year-over-year increase in more than three years. Although one month's increase cannot be counted as a trend, it still comes as encouraging news to an industry that has been worrying about declining fluid milk consumption for many years.

Cattle and dairy officials in Idaho say dairies and ranches could have a tough time getting financing if the Idaho Supreme Court upholds a district court's decision putting feed producers ahead of a bank in recovering debt from cows sold at a south-central Idaho dairy that defaulted. The Idaho Business Review reports that the Idaho Supreme Court plans to review the May decision by the Twin Falls County district court involving the Green River Dairy. However, a hearing date hasn't been set.

U.S. dairy suppliers have been shut out of the Russian market since September 2010. But President Obama’s Dec. 14 signing of legislation granting permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) to Russia represents a major step toward reopening business with one of the world’s largest dairy buyers.

Reinke Manufacturing Company, Inc., a manufacturer of mechanized irrigation systems, recently honored its top dealerships at the company’s annual convention in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Reinke dealers throughout the U.S. and Canada joined together for the three-day event, with more than 100 dealers receiving accolades in recognition of their 2011-2012 sales and marketing year success.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Dec. 13 that the USDA's measures to open conservation land to emergency haying and grazing during the 2012 drought freed up a record 2.8 million acres and provided as much as $200 million in forage for producers facing critical feed shortages. Vilsack made the announcement during the national drought forum in Washington, D.C., co-sponsored by numerous federal agencies, governors' associations and academic partners.

U.S. pork exports set new monthly records in October, according to statistics released by the USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), reaching 218,132 metric tons (mt) valued at $607 million. Export volume was 9 percent above last year and broke the previous monthly record of 217,080 mt set in November 2011. Export value exceeded $600 million for the first time, breaking the previous high ($597.85 million, also from November 2011) by 1.5 percent.

Alltech’s Global 500 closed Dec. 6 after welcoming dairy and beef producers from 40 countries to Alltech’s home in Lexington, Kentucky. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech, closed Global 500 with seven take-home messages:

Grain prices for 2013 will hinge on favorable weather patterns following the devastating 2012 drought in the Midwest, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service economist. “It’s all about the weather,” said Mark Welch, grains marketing economist. “You’ve got higher prices, and the yield potential is greater if they can get rain.”

The quality of hay fed to a beef heifer the next 60 days of winter will determine the vigor of her calf to be born next spring—and whether she can rebreed to calve the next year.