Pricing Pressures

The decision tool assists producers with calculating total premiums costs and administrative fees associated with participation in DMC. Pic: ©Getty Images/steverts

USDA launches decision tool for Dairy Margin Coverage program

By Jim Cornall

US Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has announced the availability of a new web-based tool – developed in partnership with the University of Wisconsin – to help dairy producers evaluate various scenarios using different coverage levels through the new...

Kroger intends to use the after-tax cash proceeds to reduce its debt. Pic: Getty/martinrlee

Kroger completes Turkey Hill sale

By Beth Newhart

After announcing that it may drop its flagship dairy brand last August, Kroger sold Turkey Hill to Peak Rock Capital earlier this year. The agreement was completed this week for $215m.

Project Darwin aims to reduce cost and improve margins.

Müller confirms UK dairies review

By Jim Cornall

Müller Milk & Ingredients (MMI), Britain’s largest producer of branded and private label fresh and flavored milk, cream, butter and dairy ingredients, is to review its network of dairies as part of its £100m ($129.4m) Project Darwin program, and enter...

The UK imports more mozzarella than it exports. Pic: ©Getty Images/kiboka

No-deal Brexit could shred UK mozzarella business

By Jim Cornall

According to AHDB Dairy, under a no-deal scenario, the UK would face the EU common external tariff on any exports sent to the EU, meaning tariffs of €185.20/100kg ($208.50) on mozzarella.

The DBA met in Madison to discuss the future of Wisconsin's dairy community. Pic: Getty/Sean Pavone

DBA announces legislative and budget priorities in Wisconsin

By Beth Newhart

The Dairy Business Association (DBA), an organization of the Wisconsin dairy community, outlined its legislative and budget priorities for 2019-2020 at a Dairy Day this month, taking place at the Capitol in Madison.

Representatives from African and European organizations called for a balanced agricultural and trade policy in the EU to guarantee fair conditions for dairy farmers in Africa and Europe.

Rally calls for sustainable European production

By Jim Cornall

At a rally close to the EU Council building earlier this week, dairy farmers from Burkina Faso, Mali, and three other West African countries joined European dairy farmers to call for sustainable production in Europe and Africa to ensure the survival of...

Will raising the liter price of milk help farmers? Pic: ©Getty Images/petej

It’s hard to see much respite when Australian prices continue to be set from overseas

Will Aussie dairy farmers gain as much as they hope with end of the milk wars?

By Richard Whitehead

Less than a month after the Australian dairy industry marked the eighth anniversary of the so-called “milk wars” last Australia Day, Woolworths announced it would break ranks and rise its prices.

Global economic growth is looking gloomy and the US could see a recession next year. Pic: Getty/nanoqfu

Global milk supply growth has stalled in 2019

By Beth Newhart

The first quarter of the year is coming to a close, and Rabobank has released Q1 2019 numbers from its Dairy Quarterly report. The world’s largest exporters of dairy have stalled in year-over-year milk supply growth, but the US is experiencing a mixed...

Dairy manufacturers are struggling with production efficiency, unplanned machine downtime, maintaining quality, and environmental sustainability.

Processing dairy trends at ProFood Tech

By Beth Newhart

Production efficiency, automation innovation and CPG trends in dairy were all showcased at the ProFood Tech show in Chicago last week.

NZMP showcased its solutions at Gulfood in Dubai and Food Ingredients China (FIC) in Shanghai.

NZMP moves to soothe uncertainty

By Jim Cornall

NZMP, the global dairy ingredients brand of Fonterra, has refreshed its market-leading risk and commercial solutions.

Dairy concerned by Trump Mexican border closure threats

By Beth Newhart

Last week President Donald Trump announced plans to close the southern US border, effectively ending trade with Mexico. He has since changed his mind and now given Mexico ‘a one-year warning’ with further threats of tariffs.

The Kerrygold Butter is now the number two butter brand in the US, with 2.6m packets sold every week. Pic: Ornua

Ornua notches a €40m operating profit in 2018

By Beth Newhart

Ornua, producer of the Kerrygold brand, released its full-year 2018 results that showcased a strong performance in its key European and US markets. It also broke ground on a cheese facility in Spain and prepared for potential fallout from the Brexit deal....

Westland's Rolleston plant.

News in brief

Westland Milk Products lowers pay-out prediction

By Jim Cornall

Lower than expected sales have led to the board of New Zealand’s Westland Milk Products to lower its predicted payout range for the 2018-19 season to NZ$5.80 - NZ$6.00 (US$3.95-US$4.08).

Kroger has recently put new emphasis on its ecommerce platform by launching Kroger Ship last summer.

Peak Rock acquires Turkey Hill Dairy from Kroger

By Beth Newhart

Peak Rock Capital has signed an agreement to acquire the Turkey Hill Dairy business from The Kroger Co., known for ice cream, refrigerated drinks and other dairy products. It marks Peak Rock’s eighth current investment in the food and beverage industry.

Dean Foods is looking into several options to position the brand for the long term, despite poor 2018 numbers.

Bernstein drops Dean Foods after poor 2018 performance

By Beth Newhart

After a disappointing 2018 for Dean Foods, it revealed last month that it was considering a sale. Investment management firm Bernstein has announced that it is “discontinuing coverage of Dean Foods (DF) due to the stock's diminished market cap and...

Fonterra's Danfield plant.

Fonterra ups milk price, drops earnings forecast

By Jim Cornall

New Zealand’s Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited has increased its 2018/19 forecast Farmgate Milk Price range to NZ$6.30-NZ$6.60 (US$4.29-$4.49) per kgMS, up from NZ$6.00-NZ$6.30 (US$4.08-$4.49), and revised its forecast earnings down to 15-25 cents...

Grupo Lala's profits as reported were up by 13.4% compared to 2017, and milk remained the top-earning segment of the business.

Blue Diamond Almond Breeze products are coming to Mexico

By Beth Newhart

Grupo Lala announced this week that it reached a deal with Blue Diamond Growers to distribute Blue Diamond Almond Breeze almond beverages in Mexico. It also released fourth-quarter and full-year financial reports from 2018.

Dean Foods plans to invest in its core capabilities, technology, infrastructure, people and systems.

Sharp loss in profit forces Dean Foods to consider sale

By Beth Newhart

A disappointing fourth quarter for Dean Foods rounded out an under-performing 2018, causing the dairy giant to explore alternatives in its ‘business transformation.’ It is considering a joint venture, business combination or even a sale.

Glanbia has acquired Watson, a US non-dairy ingredient solutions business.

Glanbia finalizes acquisitions, wraps up 2018

By Beth Newhart

Glanbia plc released its 2018 financials this week, revealing growing profits on the back of a few high-profile acquisitions. The nutritional ingredients and dairy business is dipping into the non-dairy sector and reorganizing its board of directors in...

Arla Foods CEO Peder Tuborgh, Chairman Jan Toft Nørgaard and CFO Natalie Knight answer questions at the 2018 annual results press conference.

Arla pays out all 2018 profits to farmers

By Beth Newhart

In its 2018 wrap-up report, Arla Foods announced that it would pay out its full net profit for 2018 of €290m ($329m) to farmers. It also discussed the progress of in-house cost-savings program Calcium and pending sustainability efforts.

General Mills expects the plant closure to cost roughly $130m.

General Mills to shutter yogurt plant in California

By Beth Newhart

General Mills is focusing on ‘restructuring actions’ in its yogurt business and closing a facility in Carson, Calif. The company also reaffirmed its end-of-year financial targets at an investor conference in New York.

As GHG emissions go down, butter prices could go up

By Beth Newhart

The EU uses environmentally friendly fuels like ethanol and biodiesel to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). But the vegetable oils that make up EU biodiesel are facing high demand and a higher carbon tax, resulting in price increases for butter.

Governor of Washington Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency with more snow on the way. Pic: ©GettyImages/Kayla Teske

1,600 dairy cows are dead after Washington blizzard

By Beth Newhart

The Dairy Farmers of Washington (DFW) has reported that more than 1,600 cows perished during an unusually heavy snowstorm in the Yakima Valley region of Washington State. The significant loss further burdens an already-struggling industry.

Overall US cheese production likely reached 13 billion pounds in 2018. Pic: ©GettyImages/ShotShare

US cheese surplus not an 'unusually enormous amount'

By Beth Newhart

Last month, the American Dairy Coalition (ADC) called attention to the record 1.4 billion pounds of surplus cheese currently in US cold storage. But it may not have a simple solution, or even be as big of a problem as the public thinks.

“People just have to be willing to take 60 seconds to make it.

Modest Mylk ditches the carton for sustainable nut beverage bases

By Beth Newhart

A new make-your-own nut-based milk alternative is hitting the market this month. Modest Mylk is a nut paste sold in glass jars designed to blend with water into a ‘milk-like’ beverage, which the company says is more sustainable and affordable than conventional...

It is estimated that only about 13% of the milk produced by Australian dairy farms ends up as fresh milk. Pic: ©Getty Images/petej

‘Australian supermarket wars could put half of suppliers out of business’

Eight years on, one dollar milk is still crippling farmers

By Richard Whitehead

Exactly eight years ago, Australian supermarkets began selling a liter of milk for one dollar (72 US cents). As farmers are getting ready for Australia Day anniversary, the industry continues to reel.

Dairy equipment like this is available regularly at auctions, but not often in southern Florida. Pic: ©GettyImages/BrianAJackson

New Mill Capital hosts fluid milk jug plant auction in Florida

By Beth Newhart

Machinery from a high volume fluid milk jug plant in southern Florida is up for auction this week, including milk silos, homogenizers and processors. Auctioneers New Mill Capital will oversee the online sale, open to all global customers.

Cargill reports a 20% earnings loss in Q2

By Beth Newhart

Cargill took a hit in its second quarter with a 20% drop in net earnings compared to the year-ago period. It cited a ‘world of uncertainty’ affected by the struggling US dairy industry and lingering trade wars throughout 2018.

Retail sales volumes of all key dairy categories have declined in the US since 2017, excluding natural cheese. Pic: ©GettyImages/sergeyryzhov

Tight margins and bad weather affected 2018 global milk production

By Beth Newhart

Rabobank has published its Dairy Q4 Quarterly report, which states the US saw just 1% growth in milk production in 2018, the lowest year-on-year (YOY) growth since 2013. Milk production was also down in the EU and Australia last year, but rose in New...

“This bill is a strong start to addressing the issues our producers are facing right now, particularly our dairy farmers.

Pending farm bill has big implications for dairy

By Beth Newhart

The US is close to passing a landmark $867bn farm bill after months of negotiation and compromise. It has already passed the Senate and the House and is expected to be signed into law by President Donald Trump within the coming days.

The new tool is expected to be introduced in June 2019.

Fonterra introduces Fixed Milk Price tool

By Jim Cornall

Fonterra has announced it will introduce a new financial tool to help farmers gain more certainty of what they will be paid for their milk for the season.

Agropur will close its only plant that produces goat cheese next year. Pic: ©GettyImages/5PH

Agropur in talks with Quebec Goat Milk Producers

By Beth Newhart

Just two months after Agropur announced it will close its goat cheese-producing plant in Saint-Damase, it has engaged in discussions with Quebec Goat Milk Producers about an undisclosed deal.

The trade deal won't take immediate effect and must be ratified by each country's government. Pic: ©GettyImages/Bet_Noire

Dairy industry reacts to North American leaders signing USMCA deal

By Beth Newhart

After months of back-and-forth and a tumultuous summer of trade disputes between the US, Canada and Mexico, the three North American nations have officially signed the US Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA), dismantling the previous North American Free Trade...

The online sale will use the BidSpotter platform. Pic: ©GettyImages/Abscent84

UK dairy auction attracting international attention

By Jim Cornall

An auction that will see the processing machinery and equipment of the Linwoods Dairy in Armagh, Northern Ireland, going under the hammer later this month is attracting international attention.

Dean Foods reveals disappointing Q3 with seven plant closures

By Beth Newhart

Dean Foods posted a loss of 28 cents per share, or $26.4m in its third quarter. It also closed and consolidated seven manufacturing facilities within six weeks, racking up ‘significant transitory costs’ that are expected to continue.

At the beginning of 2019 customs duties on dairy products will be reduced by about 40%. Pic: ©Getty Images/Armastas

Dairy market reform agreement signed in Israel

By Jim Cornall

Israel’s Minister of Finance, Moshe Kahlon, Minister of Agriculture Uri Ariel, the Israel Farmers Association, and the Association of Cattle Breeders signed a reform agreement on the dairy market on October 29.

Westland said it was 'making progress on the matters it had direct control of.'

Westland reduces payout prediction

By Jim Cornall

The decline in global prices for dairy commodities, especially butter, has forced the board of Westland Milk Products to lower its predicted payout range for the 2018-19 season to NZ$6.10-NZ$6.50 (previously NZ$6.50-NZ$6.90).