The March 12, 2018, issue of Progressive Dairyman features our annual regional snapshots of “the state of dairy” around the U.S. Expanded reports for individual regions are highlighted in this online series.

Progressive Dairyman recently introduced readers to our group of editorial advisers for 2018 (See “Meet Progressive Dairyman’s 2018 reader advisers,” Jan. 19, 2018 issue. 

After a few of months of modest gains, January 2018 U.S. milk production picked up steam, jumping 1.8 percent compared to the same month a year earlier. With a 5,000-head increase from December, there were more cows in U.S. herds in January than in any month in 2017.

Digest Highlights: A Missouri program reimburses MPP-Dairy participants. CDC’s investigation into a salmonella Heidelberg outbreak tied to dairy calves is closed. Alan Zepp compares margin protection options. Find a summary of this and other news here.

While the budget bill signed by President Donald Trump earlier this month made changes to the Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP-Dairy), details remain to be worked out before the 2018 enrollment period reopens.

A USDA survey showed the percentage of dairy farmers with health care coverage was far less than other agricultural groups. Progressive Dairyman looks at some options to raise those numbers.

Digest Highlights: The country’s largest on-farm anaerobic digester-to-vehicle fuel operation is under construction. New legislation eliminates air emission reporting. Find a summary of this and other news here.

The USDA is hedging its bet by delaying preparation of a final version of a California Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) for producer vote, according to an attorney with the agency.

The heavy lifting on dairy safety net reforms – which many were targeting for the 2018 Farm Bill – got some advance help when program changes were inserted in a federal budget bill approved by Congress last week. The changes kick-start dairy farmer income protection this year, but there are still questions left to answer.

Old Man Winter’s job performance is again being called into question, as seasonal precipitation is not improving drought conditions in many important hay-producing regions of the U.S.