The Latest: August - 2025
Plenty Of Milkfat Left For Butter Churns
USDA’s Dairy Market News says milk is tight in the East. In the Central and West regions, output is declining seasonally, but there is more milk than there was a year ago. Cream production is slipping across the nation, but, as ice cream manufacturers wind down, there is plenty of milkfat left for butter churns. Cream multiples remain well below the historic average, incentivizing butter makers to crank out more product than they typically would at this time of year.
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Football season has arrived, schools are back in session, and cheese demand is excellent. Output is not keeping pace. While Cheddar blocks score fresh multi-year highs, spot butter reached a milestone of a very different sort.
View reportThis weeks rise in cheese prices in an already lofty market are truly impressive. Last week’s Cold Storage report showed an astounding drawdown in cheese inventories, and the spot markets suggest that fresh supplies are tight.
View reportDespite the rough week in the dairy pits, dairy product prices and Class III values in particular will soon find their footing.
View reportThe spot markets have been buoyed by robust near-term fundamentals. However, dairy futures were far from exuberant this week and some new clouds have moved onto the horizon.
View reportThe stock market suffered its worst losses of the year on Monday but the U.S. dairy markets remain firmly supported as milk tightens. On Monday, USDA will publish its much-anticipated Acreage and Crop Production reports. Next week could be volatile.
View reportAlthough the bulls did not assert themselves this week, the bears are not in charge. Aside from the break from the extreme heat, all the factors that propelled the markets to their recent peak remain in play.
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