No Wisconsin dairy farmer needs to be told that milk prices have eroded, but when you SEE the numbers, it’s like salt in a wound.
For December, Wisconsin dairy farms witnessed their milk price tumble another $1.20 a hundredweight (cwt) compared to November at $17.80 or around $1.53 per gallon at the farm gate.
The National Agricultural Statistics Service – Agricultural Prices report showed that the U.S. milk price for December was $17.20 per cwt, 60 cents lower than Wisconsin’s price and 90 cents lower than last month’s U.S. price. Twenty-two of the 23 major milk producing states had a lower price when compared with November, while only Florida had an increase in price. Minnesota had the largest price decline, down $1.60 to $17.10 per cwt.
There’s a lot of conversations happening in Wisconsin about neighboring states sending their milk to Wisconsin processors – and the prices would bear out that strategy. Michigan dairy producers were paid $16 a hundredweight for their December milk – about $1.38 per gallon and fully $1.80 cheaper than Wisconsin milk.
