Progressive Dairy

Milk production, cow numbers continue to increase in April USDA estimates

April U.S. milk production increased from March and was also up about 2.7% from USDA’s estimates a year earlier.

May 22, 2026

Nineteen states including Kansas, California and Wisconsin boosted milk production a combined 574 million pounds in April.

Reproductive performance evaluations enter a new era

In the August 2026 genetic evaluations, the four female reproductive performance traits (DPR, CCR, HCR and EFC) will be revised and a new reproductive trait, First Service to Conception, will debut.

May 22, 2026

Taylor McWhorter

Ateam from the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) and the USDA’s Animal Genomics and Improvement Laboratory (AGIL) began a review process to find a way to modernize the traits to make sure genetic ability was being accurately measured.

Assurance Watch: Resources for responsible antibiotic use

May 22, 2026

Miquela Hanselman and Jamie Jonker

By focusing on prevention, early detection and timely treatment decisions, U.S. dairy farmers promote animal well‑being while safeguarding the long‑term effectiveness of antibiotics.

Children’s museum debuts interactive 'Moo-ve The Milk' exhibit

The “Moo-ve The Milk” exhibit offers a hands-on experience teaching children how milk travels from cow to store.

May 22, 2026

Audrey Schmitz

Downtown Buffalo, New York’s Explore & More – The Ralph C. Wilson Children’s Museum has added a captivating new addition to its fourth floor. The “Moo-ve The Milk” exhibit is a hands-on display that takes children and their families through the journey of milk from cow to grocery store, making dairy education as fun as it is informative.

Dairy risk management calendar: June 2026

Dairy producers given OK to use insurance programs concurrently in upcoming coverage year beginning July 1.

May 21, 2026

Jenn Coyne

June marks the halfway mark for 2026, but it is already time to start thinking about risk management coverage for 2027 as the new crop year is on the horizon.

Economic Update: June Class I base price reaches $22.18 per cwt

May 21, 2026

Jenn Coyne and Karen Lee

In the news impacting a dairy producer's bottom line the third week of May 2026: June Class I base price reaches $22.18 per cwt, fluid milk sales for March are 2.3% higher than a year earlier, the FARM Environmental Stewardship Program integrates newly updated RuFaS Model, and entries are now open for the 2026 World Forage Analysis Superbowl.

[Podcast] Integrated Fly Control: Practical Solutions for Producers

May 21, 2026

Join Kenley Zuga and Gene Spellman from Central Life Sciences as they highlight how feed-through fly control can help livestock producers manage fly populations more effectively.

Managing capital costs for 2026

To navigate tighter margins, dairy producers should prioritize disciplined capital spending by focusing on essential investments, evaluating returns, aligning financing with asset life and protecting cash flow.

May 21, 2026

Steve Schwoerer

A disciplined approach to capital spending in 2026 will help ensure the operation remains strong not only through this cycle but into the next one as well.

National Dairy Month poster contest inspires young artists

The Dairy Alliance inspires 4-H students across the Southeast to creatively explore dairy and connect with agriculture through a poster contest during National Dairy Month in June.

May 20, 2026

Audrey Schmitz

For more than two decades, a National Dairy Month poster contest has been inspiring creativity and agricultural awareness among students across the Southeast.

Training your workforce: Virtual reality as an aid

Having skilled employees is paramount to farm success and animal care, but finding skilled employees can be challenging. While not a replacement for traditional training, virtual reality (VR) technology may be a useful tool for training employees.

May 20, 2026

Adrian A Barragan

We can't ignore that training dairy farm workers effectively presents dairy farms with several challenges. One promising solution may be the use of virtual reality (VR) technologies.