As we look to the second quarter of 2026, dairy markets have improved and margins are historically strong with forecasts playing in producers’ favors, particularly with incremental improvements in Class III and Class IV.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging in 2026 not as a futuristic concept but as a practical response to the complexity of dairy farming. Its primary value is not automation for its own sake but the ability to improve decisions across thousands of animals and management variables.

Futures prices are rising with news of competitive international prices and strong U.S. dairy exports coupled with the government’s announcement of dairy product purchases, all making for a bullish outlook for U.S. dairy producers in March.

Here are four ways your farm can become great at developing and promoting your people. This development is much more than sending employees to educational meetings.

When leaders adjust how they lead – not just how much – performance almost always improves. Conversations get easier, expectations feel clearer, and employees start taking more responsibility on their own. Not because they’re being pushed harder. Because they’re being led in a way that fits where they actually are.

With 315 filings, farm bankruptcies were up 46% from 2024. Declining farm receipts and rising expenses, primarily in crop markets, led to an increase in the number of U.S. farms filing for Chapter 12 bankruptcy in 2025.