Denmark’s Arla Foods, Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) and eight U.S. dairy farmers are forming a joint venture to build a premium cheddar cheese production facility in western New York.

Under ordinary conditions, 1 percent growth in U.S. milk production isn't cause for concern. These aren’t ordinary times, however. Adjusted for Leap Year, USDA’s February milk production report indicated U.S. output was up 1 percent compared to a year ago, noted Mark Stephenson, Director of Dairy Policy Analysis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Bob Cropp, dairy economics professor emeritus, noted in their monthly podcast.

This Dairy Economic Update includes information on the February 2016 milk production report, Livestock Gross Margin for Dairy and retail dairy product prices. This and other U.S. dairy industry news can be found here.

This Dairy Regional Recap includes information on a lawsuit involving livestock in the Point Reyes National Seashore, a legal fight over a proposed “right to farm” amendment in Oklahoma, and a Wisconsin cow starring in a movie about the Green Bay Packers. This and other U.S. region-by-region dairy news can be found here.

This Dairy Policy Review includes information on the Food & Drug Administration’s final BSE rule, on-farm feed safety management recommendations and the upcoming release of dairy genetics evaluations. This and other U.S. dairy industry news can be found here.

Chobani will expand and diversify its Idaho yogurt facility. Walmart will build a dairy processing plant Indiana. A chocolate milk promotion features members of the U.S. Olympic swimming team. This and other U.S. dairy industry news can be found here.

January U.S. fluid milk sales were down, but sales of whole milk varieties were up again. California’s April Class 1 milk prices will be slightly lower. This and other U.S. dairy economic news can be found here.

A hearing is scheduled to consider California’s temporary Class 4b milk price whey factor, which expires this summer. Northeast dairy cooperative Agri-Mark will invest nearly $30 million to expand a New York cheese manufacturing facility. This and other U.S. dairy industry news can be found here.

A settlement agreement in a six-year-old northeast U.S. milk marketing antitrust lawsuit is near – maybe.

A lawsuit has been filed against the Whatcom County Dairy Women, Northwest Washington Fair Association and the Lynden School District over an E. coli outbreak that sickened children and others attending a Milk Makers Fest in April 2015. This and other U.S. region-by-region dairy news can be found here.