We partner with Ever.Ag to provide highlights of weekly dairy market activities, along with a summary of key market indicators.
NDM climbed to a new year-to-date high of $1.9725 per pound, $0.0500 higher week-over-week. Spot blocks leapt higher over the holiday-shortened week, reaching $1.6725 per pound on Thursday – up $0.0900 from last Friday. Barrels closed at $1.5925, up $0.0275 week-over-week. Butter fell $0.0350 on the week to $1.7900 per pound.
Edge comments to USDA on proposed mandatory survey
Source: Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative
Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative recently submitted comments to USDA regarding a proposed mandatory survey that would collect data on dairy manufacturing costs and product yields. This survey is important because the results will directly influence how milk prices are calculated under Federal Milk Marketing Orders (FMMOs), specifically through make allowances and yield formulas.
Our message is clear: the way this data is collected and reported will have real financial impacts on dairy farmers. Edge strongly supports a transparent and well-designed survey but emphasizes that the details matter.
First, we urged USDA to publish data with as much detail as possible—while still protecting confidentiality. Manufacturing costs vary widely across the industry depending on plant location, scale, and especially the age and modernization of facilities. Rather than reporting a single average, USDA should publish distributional statistics, such as percentile breakdowns and ranges, so that stakeholders can see the full picture of cost variation across the industry.
Second, and most importantly, Edge argued that the survey data should enable USDA to set make allowances based on the costs of the most efficient plants rather than industry averages. This matters directly to farmers because make allowances are deducted from commodity prices to determine the regulated minimum price paid for milk. When make allowances are inflated by the costs of outdated, under-invested, or poorly managed plants, every dairy farmer receives a lower price, even farmers shipping to efficient operations. Plants may report high costs for reasons that have nothing to do with the true cost of manufacturing: deferred capital investment, blended costs from specialty product lines, governance choices that prioritize spending elsewhere (e.g. subsidized hauling), or simple operational inefficiency. Basing make allowances on frontier-level performance sends a clear signal that processors must invest and modernize, rather than passing the costs of inefficiency on to producers through lower regulated prices.
Edge will continue advocating to ensure farmer interests are protected throughout this process.
Political wins for Wisconsin's agricultural community
Source: Dairy Business Association
The following DBA priority bills were signed by Governor Evers into law last week.
Senate Bill 501, now 2025 Wisconsin Act 177: authored by Sen. Rachel Cabral-Guevara and Rep. Joel Kitchens. It creates a veterinary loan repayment program to provide assistance for veterinarians employed in rural counties.
Senate Bill 783, now 2025 Wisconsin Act 159: authored by Sen. Eric Wimberger and Rep. Treig Pronschinske. It expands eligibility under Wisconsin’s Commercial Driver Training Grant program by allowing applicants other than training providers to receive grants when they pay for a third-party provider to deliver qualifying commercial driver license training; and modifies existing program requirements to provide greater flexibility in how training is arranged, while retaining federal compliance standards and limiting grants to one per individual trainee.
Assembly Bill 679, now 2025 Wisconsin Act 161: authored by Rep. Brent Jacobson and Sen. Cory Tomczyk. It enables WisDOT to issue $325 overweight permits to transport grain, commercial feed, or bulk fertilizer on routes designated by state and local officials, allowing Wisconsin’s agribusinesses to take fewer trips, lessen vehicle emissions, save costs on fuel, and relieve pressure on overworked truck drivers.
DBA continues to provide an important voice for the dairy community, working to move Wisconsin dairy forward.
The first round of 2025–27 Agricultural Roads Improvement Program (ARIP) awards has been announced, with nearly $50 million in grants supporting 29 projects across 28 Wisconsin counties. These investments will strengthen rural roads critical to moving milk, feed, and other agricultural products - an essential component of Wisconsin’s dairy supply chain. Reauthorization of ARIP was a top DBA priority this legislative session, following the program’s successful creation in 2023.
$10,000 in secondary education scholarships available to Edge membership
Source: Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative
Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative will once again offer $10,000 in secondary education scholarships to its membership, the cooperative announced today. Edge is proud to award the children of its members who exemplify the voice of milk through their education, career aspirations and future goals. Applications are now being accepted and will remain open until April 17.
.png?upscale=true&width=580&upscale=true&name=Dairy%20Stream%20(3).png)
.png?upscale=true&width=1120&upscale=true&name=Voice%20of%20Milk%20(2).png)
