Chart I - Dashboard of Dairy Prices |
Chart II - Class III Milk Prices 2000 to 2018 |
Class III - NASS Cheese Prices 2000 to 2018 |
Chart IV - NASS Butter Prices 2000 to 2018 |
Chart V - NDM Price 2000 to 2018 |
Chart VI - Cheese and Butter Price difference 2000 to 2018 |
Clearly we are in a period different from any other periods since this current pricing was started in 2000.
Is this the new norm? Will milk prices stay low? Will butter remain expensive? Will NDM remain low priced?
The reason behind the current circumstances is simply, too much milk, too much cheese in inventory, declining consumption of fluid milk, exports that don't seem able to export cheese, and increased consumption of butter, which leaves a lot of NDM to be disposed of at lower prices. It is the perfect storm of financial issues for the U.S. dairy industry.
What will probably not change? Decreased consumption of fluid milk is a continuation of a very long trend that is accelerating. It is very unlikely that the trend will change. Because fluid milk (Class I milk) is the highest paid, that will cause some long-term reduction in the uniform or average producer milk price.
Will the volume of producer milk quit growing and perhaps shrink? Low milk prices are forcing some producers out. However, the long-term trend of more milk per cows continues and will continue. The only thing that can reduce more milk is lower prices to limit herd expansions and force more producers out. That's a pretty grim statement, but it is incontestable.
Will cheese consumption continue to grow? U.S. cheese consumption has grown for over 100 years. Per capita consumption is still less than other mature markets like France. However, as the market matures, the rate of growth is slowing down. That is what a mature market does. The cheese market, Class III milk, is the largest segment and even moderate growth will help.
Can exports begin selling high value dairy products like cheese? This is certainly a wild card. If the U.S. can develop strong international brands, there could be a stable growing market. This would require more vertical integration of the dairy industry with a plan to develop brands that carry the language and graphics for the international market segment.
Will butter consumption continue to grow? Domestic consumption increases are beginning to slow. Will consumer look to a more vegetable based diet? This is certainly another wild card.
The recent market analysis done by the USDA sees steady growth is both the domestic market and the export market. Frankly, it is not hard to find fault with the analysis. International events are always adding volatility to exports. The growth in the domestic market is hard to rationalize with declining fluid milk consumption and a slowing of cheese consumption.
The above analysis does not project a rosy environment for growth of the U.S. dairy market. That said, there is opportunity to make money as a milk producer if a strong emphasis is made on component production and tight financial controls.
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