After 25 years in business, Ag Oasis of Liberal, Kansas, has learned a lot about how to do things right. Part of that has been teaching – and learning from – summer interns as well as their full-time employees.

For the second consecutive month, November 2018 U.S. milk production increased less than 1 percent from the same month a year earlier, as cow numbers continued to decline. With November’s estimate, U.S. milk production growth has now been under 1 percent in five of 11 months in 2018, according to USDA’s monthly Milk Production report, released Dec. 19.

Digest Highlights October fluid sales steady USDA-procured milk delivered to food banks Schumer critical of Defense milk procurement proposal Global Dairy Trade prices up again Tractor, combine sales resilient STATES: DFA to acquire Agropur facility in Minnesota Six dairy biomethane clusters approved in California Wisconsin farm groups to receive watershed grants Dairy Council of California revises nutrition education program Pennsylvania: CAFO reports due Jan. 1 Farm Credit East provides ‘grant’ resources POLICY: USDA Risk Management Agency offers multicounty crop insurance flexibility USDA offers rural broadband financial support

U.S. dairy farmers will receive a second payment to partially offset losses as a result of the negative impacts of retaliatory tariffs on exports.

Dairy farmers aren’t the only business owners struggling to find and retain a labor force. According to Kurt Bauer, president and CEO of Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC), 80 percent of his group’s members are having trouble hiring people right now too.

We at Bremer Farms were bustling about as fast as Santa’s elves earlier this month. While the elves were building toys at the North Pole, we were creating a Christmas extravaganza on our dairy farm.

Editor's note: Updated with House passage of the bill. After nearly six months in limbo, the 2018 Farm Bill – including substantial improvements in the federal dairy safety net – received critical approval in rapid succession this week.

Digest Highlights EPA proposes repeal, replacement of Waters of the U.S. Dairy-RP activity nears 4.5 billion pounds of milk Wisconsin to host 18 Dairy-RP, MPP-Dairy informational meetings Canola meal values in dairy ration updated Premier Select Sires merger effective Jan. 1 Official judges selected for 53rd World Dairy Expo

Citing declining milk cow numbers and slower growth in milk per cow, the USDA’s December World Ag Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report cut milk production forecasts for both 2018 and 2019. However, the outlook for less milk again didn’t translate into improved milk price projections for either year.

If you tuned into a news station or scrolled through social media over the past 12 months, odds are it didn’t brighten your day. Looking at the year in review, top headlines proclaimed political scandals, more mass shootings, horrific wildfires and just about anything to do with President Donald Trump.