For the third month in 2019, U.S. agriculture turned in a trade deficit. It’s the first time the U.S. agriculture has recorded three months of trade deficits in a single year since 2006, according to data from the USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service.

Digest Highlights

• Coca-Cola establishing dairy advisory council
• Dairy Margin Coverage enrollment tops 18,000
• USDA ag trade surplus to be smallest since fiscal year 2006
• Borden features flavored milks at State Fair of Texas
• A2 Milk reports record revenue
• Canadian cow numbers down slightly
• July cull cow prices inch higher
• Global Dairy Trade index lower

The good news is that dairy farmers received more money from the market on their July milk production. And those signing up for the highest level of Tier 1 coverage under the 2019 Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program are ensured indemnity payments for a seventh consecutive month. However, with July milk prices climbing faster than feed costs, the July DMC indemnity payment will be the smallest of the year, and it could be the last.

Update Highlights

• Canada paying dairy farmers $1.75 billion in trade compensation
• July DMC margin, indemnity payment to be announced on Friday
• USDEC: On Labor Day, share how dairy means jobs
• September Class I base price down 4 cents
• July 2019 dairy cow slaughter picks up
• Dairy margins started August stronger
• What’s in your mailbox?

Digest Highlights

• Continue using current Form I-9
• CoBank: U.S. farmers taking brunt of tariff wars
• Update: Trump signs Chapter 12 bankruptcy bill raising debt limit
• Pressure mounts for EPA nitrate study review
• Waters of the U.S. ruled unlawful
• ‘Cows and Climate’ video series
• Chobani appoints McGuinness as president
• Pennsylvania ‘Adopt a Cow’ program brings dairy farms to elementary schools
• Minnesota offers beginning farmer tax credit

As of Aug. 25, 17,677 dairy operations had signed up for the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program. That number represents about two-thirds of the 26,832 dairy operations with established milk production history and about 61% of the milk production history.

You’re busy milking cows and replenishing forage supplies while making sure the kids get on the school bus. With that in mind, Progressive Dairy looks at issues in the news impacting you and your dairy business. In recognition of your time, we’ll attempt to summarize recent events or actions making dairy headlines and reported in our weekly digital newsletter, Progressive Dairy Extra.

The Food Animal Initiative, a collaboration between the North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine, is hosting the first International Symposium on Precision Systems and Data Analysis in Animal Agriculture Sept. 9-10.

Digest Highlights

• FDA wants answers on ‘zero-withdrawal’ practices; NMPF seeks comment period extension
• June fluid sales slump
• USDA deferring interest charges on some crop insurance premium payments
• USMCA negotiations proceed during congressional recess
• USDEC: Dairy needs trade agreement with Japan too
• Global Dairy Trade prices mixed
• Tyson Foods to rebuild Kansas beef plant
• Farm Service Agency expands payment options

Two federal dairy safety net programs saw increased activity in mid-August.