Cattle on feed and beef production were up, with steer, heifer and cow slaughter all higher. Cold storage inventories were mostly lower. Lower cash prices and higher feed costs hurt margins during the first half of June.

North Dakotans vote down corporate dairy measure. Thought to be defeated, California ‘ag overtime’ bill is resurrected. Washington state dairy farmers urged to comment on CAFO permit proposal. This and other U.S. region-by-region dairy news can be found here.

Milk prices are providing some optimism. May U.S. milk production was up 1.2 percent. Early June margins improved. This and other U.S. dairy economic news can be found here.

A northeast U.S. study will explore dairy manure treatments’ impact on antibiotic residues and potential antibiotic resistance. The U.S. Supreme Court announces a decision on Obama administration immigration initiatives. Senate leaders reach an agreement on GMO food labels. A proposal expands manure digester tax incentives. The Federal Aviation Administration unveils “drone” rules. Advocacy group says federal agencies use state department of motor vehicle databases to check immigration status. This and other U.S. dairy policy news can be found here.

Vermont dairy labor advocates seek consumer buy-in for structural change. Lawsuit seeks consistent ‘soy’ beverage label enforcement. Dairy/NFL partnership reviewed. LED lighting negatively impacts milk. This and other U.S. dairy industry news can be found here.

Dairy farmers who still have the option could protect milk income margins through the USDA Risk Management Agency’s Livestock Gross Margin for Dairy (LGM-Dairy) program, while leaving open the opportunity for milk price increases, according to Alan Zepp, risk management program manager at Pennsylvania's Center for Dairy Excellence.

Despite relatively strong milk production, increasing stocks of dairy products and weak exports, domestic foodservice sales helped boost dairy product prices in June. If those prices hold, farm milk prices for the remainder of 2016 could be stronger than previous forecasts, according to Bob Cropp, professor emeritus with the University of Wisconsin-Extension.

The largest one-third of California dairies – producing about two-thirds of the state’s milk – saw a first-half 2016 breakeven milk price of about $15.20 per hundredweight, according to the Rabobank Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory Team. Unfortunately, they’ll see an actual milk price well below that.

The U.S. turned in an agricultural trade deficit in April, according to USDA’s monthly export and import estimates. Ag exports were valued at $9.6 billion; imports were estimated at just under $10 billion. A review of dairy product, genetics and hay exports follow.

U.S. alfalfa hay exports were down in April, but still tipped the scales at more than 190,000 metric tons for a second consecutive month, according to USDA’s Foreign Ag Service.