The see-saw effect Wisconsin dairy farmers have been living with milk prices is apparently continuing.
Despite all the plans for June Dairy month celebrations – the dairy farm families hosting, and milking those cows, are far from thrilled with their financial outlook.
The Wisconsin Ag Statistical Service said in the month of April, Wisconsin dairies received an average price of $17.10 per hundredweight (cwt) for their milk in April 2017 (about $1.47 per gallon) according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Agricultural Prices report. This was 90 cents lower than last month’s price but $1.50 higher than last April’s price.
The U.S. milk price for April was $16.50 per cwt, 60 cents lower than Wisconsin’s price and 80 cents lower than last month’s U.S. price. All 23 of the major milk producing states had a decline in prices from March to April.
California had the smallest decline, down 28 cents to $15.45 per cwt..
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange* (CME) 40‐pound block cheese price closed at $1.7450 per pound on May 31, while barrels were $1.5450 per pound. The CME butter price was $2.4100 per pound.
For the week ending May 20, 2017, the Agricultural Marketing Service* U.S. weekly 40‐pound block cheese price averaged $1.5743 per pound, and 500 pound barrels adjusted to 38 percent moisture averaged $1.4876 per pound. The U.S. butter price was $2.1881 per pound.
