Geographically, the Central Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) stretches across Oklahoma and Kansas, large portions of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska, and into counties in Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Milk producers and handlers supplying the Appalachian Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) cover five states: Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Like their neighbors to the south, they share similar concerns and diverse outlooks.

Running through the heart of the north-central U.S. and bordering three of the nation’s 24 major dairy states, Interstate 29 (I-29) is a strong vein from which to measure the pulse of the industry.

Beyond sharing Great Lakes’ shorelines, dairy producers in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio have a lot in common. Most were aided by the wave of higher milk prices in 2022, putting them in their best financial positions in years.

Milk produced and marketed in the 11 states in the southeastern U.S. is pooled on the Appalachian, Southeast and Florida Federal Milk Marketing Orders (FMMOs).

Interest rates on agricultural loans in major agricultural Federal Reserve districts jumped in the fourth quarter of 2022, in most cases to highs last seen 15 years ago.

Digest highlights

• Hearing set to consider southeast U.S. FMMO proposals
• Farmers sought for study about how they balance children and work
• JDS: Milk’s packaging influences its flavor
• Other news, briefly

Digest highlights

• USDA announces second round of PMVAP payments
• $100 million Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program announced
• WOTUS lawsuit filed
• IDFA adds economist, policy support
• USDA updates organic enforcement rule
• 2025-30 Dietary Guideline Advisory Committee named
• USDA seeks comment on proposed animal disease traceability regulations
• Animal welfare group wants increased regulation of ‘custom-exempt’ slaughter operations
• Other news, briefly

Update highlights

• February 2023 Class I base price on the move again
• December cull dairy cow marketing higher
• Inflation hit dairy aisle in 2022
• November fluid sales stayed on trend
• GDT index dipped
• Coming up