Monthly alfalfa hay exports dipped below 200,000 metric tons (MT) in September, just the third time that’s happened in the past 17 months. Despite the slight downturn, year-to-date 2017 alfalfa hay export sales topped 2 million MT and remain well on their way to a new record annual high.

Foremost Farms USA has secured land to build a new dairy facility in Michigan, signaling the cooperative is taking its own path toward building processing capacity in the state. The facility is scheduled to be operational in 12 to 14 months, with capacity to process up to 6 million pounds of milk per day.

With a pending deadline requiring some dairy farms to file air emission reports by Nov. 15, there’s still a lot of uncertainty. In an alert posted Nov. 8, PRO-DAIRY’s Karl Czymmek and Curt Gooch said they had been in consultation with National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) legal counsel. The latest advice: wait.

Digest Highlights: Cheese consumption is a bright spot. NMPF continues dairy label enforcement fight. Dean challenges continue. Find a summary of these stories and updates on previous Progressive Dairyman news stories here.

Those hoping dairy exports would provide a springboard for milk prices received some disappointing news. Weak sales of nonfat dry milk/skim milk powder (NDM/SMP), particularly to Southeast Asia, depressed overall U.S. export totals in the third quarter, according to Alan Levitt, USDEC vice president of communications and market analysis.

Downward-trending milk income margins may be pulling the Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP-Dairy) back into play as an income safety net for 2018. Dairy farmers are advised to watch market conditions over the next six weeks to determine best options the next year.

The transition to colder temperatures has been accompanied by cooler markets. Here’s a look back at factors affecting prices and margins.

Digest Highlights: Bills address dairy labor, school milk issues. Danone expanding plant-based beverage operations. Find a summary of these stories and updates on previous Progressive Dairyman news stories here.

While anti-dairy advocates and the dairy industry itself focus on declining fluid milk sales, there’s good dairy news: Latest USDA data shows 2016 U.S. per capita consumption of dairy products (on a milk-equivalent, milkfat basis) rose 16 pounds, the second-largest annual jump dating back to 1975.

Update Highlights: Eli Lilly is reviewing ‘strategic alternatives’ for Elanco. Cargill to purchase Diamond V. Find a summary of these and other dairy industry-related news here.