The USDA’s World Ag Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report offers forecasts for dairy, beef and feedstuffs.

February 2025 Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) pooling estimates, uniform prices and producer price differentials are scheduled to be released on March 11-14.

The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released its Agricultural Prices report Feb. 28, which includes feed costs and milk prices used to calculate the January Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program margins and indemnity payments. January’s margin was $13.85 per hundredweight (cwt), continuing momentum from the program’s historic margins realized in 2024.

Small declines in milk prices and climbing feed costs give way to tighter margins as we head into the spring months. Yet, margins are still swaying in a dairy producer’s favor.

In the news affecting dairy producers' bottom lines as we finish February 2025: Class I base price dips for March, legislation is introduced to improve milk pricing transparency, and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins releases funding to honor farmer contracts.

Fourteen states including Texas, Idaho, New York and South Dakota boosted milk production a combined 306 million pounds in January.

Announced on Feb. 5, January 2025 FMMO Class II and Class III milk prices were up, but Class I and Class IV milk class prices were down from December. January 2025 Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) pooling estimates, uniform prices and producer price differentials are scheduled to be released on Feb. 11-14.

The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released its Agricultural Prices report Jan. 31, 2025, which includes feed costs used to calculate the December 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program margins and indemnity payments. December’s margin came in at $13.38 per hundredweight (cwt), concluding a year of mostly confident margins for dairy producers.

The new year is taking shape with risk management policies offering enrollment for 2025 as the 2018 Farm Bill was granted a one-year extension, as well as the Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) referendum passing with the new rule to take effect June 1.