It's no secret that the past year has been devastating for our entire industry. As farms continue to sell out, those of us left standing can't help but wonder when we will be next. Folks are worried, scared and flat out pissed off at the current state of our industry. Many are in survival mode, while others are just hanging on a little bit longer in hopes that cull cow prices will go up so they can sell the herd.

The USDA’s October World Ag Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report boosted milk production forecasts for both 2018 and 2019, while also projecting only a slight improvement in 2019 prices.

In a world of ever-expanding dairy operations and competitive milk markets, it is easy for farms and dairies to hyper-focus on the numbers. But Banner Ridge Farms in Platteville, Wisconsin, is taking a different approach: focusing on employees who can make their operation work smarter from the inside out.

For only the second time in World Dairy Expo’s 52-year history, the Supreme Champion of the Junior Show and the Supreme Champion of World Dairy Expo were the same cow. Cutting Edge T Delilah, exhibited by Kyle Barton of Copake, New York, was named Grand Champion Brown Swiss and the 2018 Supreme Champion of both the junior and open shows.

In the ever-changing and ever-challenging dairy industry, the new Dairy Revenue Protection (Dairy-RP) program is a welcome sight for most in the industry as a way to manage or mitigate risk. Your participation in the program will likely be a topic of discussion with your ag lender in the upcoming months. What should you be prepared to talk about?

It’s become a tradition for the Progressive Dairyman team to scope out new products, ideas and innovations to share with readers following World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. The 2018 show, with the theme of “The Next Frontier,” had plenty to offer.

The two most recent generations to operate Ideal Dairy LLC in Hudson Falls, New York, have something in common. They have each entered the business during a turning point in the farm and propelled it forward to be successful.

For many years, it has been my passion to more fully understand and manage robotic milking systems. I have spent countless hours watching animal videos and staring at the computer screen looking at the data robotic systems provide. It has been close to an addiction.

Tariffs apparently weren’t a barrier to milk powder sales to Mexico, but the ongoing trade war did have a detrimental impact on overall dairy and hay sales to China in August. Dairy cattle exports were steady, but buyers are becoming more demanding.

Digest Highlights Arla Foods, Foremost Farms USA to explore strategic partnership Co-op urges USDA funding for dairy diversion program FARM Program launches workforce development module Dairy margins end September steady ‘Undeniably Dairy’ fall campaign reconnects consumers, producers Geographical indications, common food names protected under USMCA American Butter Institute urges FDA to address labels ADA North East offers virtual farm field trips for schools Maryland schools receive milk coolers