The outlook for dairy prices will be somewhat brighter moving into the middle of 2019, with a much more bullish forecast possible if the U.S. and China can reach a trade agreement, according to Dan Basse, economist and president of AgResource Company.

Finding and keeping a milk market has become less certain for dairy producers. Now, with culling at a record pace, farmers selling cows and other dairy-beef cattle for slaughter could face additional challenges as well.

It goes without saying how much your national and local checkoff staffs care about dairy farmers. We understand how difficult this year has been for you, and there is nothing harder than watching families we know exit the industry.

You’re busy – milking cows, managing employees and preparing year-end financials. With that in mind, Progressive Dairyman 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 Dairyman Extra. Then, we’ll try to put that news into perspective and briefly describe how it might affect you.

After a three-year run when annual U.S. per-capita dairy product consumption rose from the year before, 2017 yielded a small decline in overall consumption. The decrease was mostly attributed to a continuing drop in fluid milk consumption.

Video games, participation ribbons and obscene amounts of time spent on social media don’t develop work ethic, instill values or build self-esteem. But showing cattle can do all that and more to prepare adolescents and teens for the world ahead.

October 2018 U.S. milk production increased less than 1 percent from the same month a year earlier, as cow numbers dropped to their lowest level since February 2017. With October’s estimate, U.S. milk production growth has now been under 1 percent in four of 10 months in 2018, according to USDA’s monthly Milk Production report, released Nov. 19.

Digest Highlights Interest rates move to seven-year high Farm wages on the rise September fluid sales falter STATES: Dairy students may qualify for UW – Madison’s ‘Bucky’s Tuition Promise’ DFA opens ‘The Creamery’ retail store in Utah POLICY: USMCA welcomed, but dairy concerns remain FDA extends plant-based label comment period USDA, FDA to collaborate on cell-cultured livestock, poultry product regulation

The number of U.S. farms restructuring debt by filing Chapter 12 bankruptcy in the past year was lower than a year earlier. However, filings were higher in regions most heavily dependent on dairy and row crops for income.