Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Association News

WUD Board Meeting Scheduled for November 20th

Join us Thursday, November 20 at 9:00 AM at the Stanislaus Farm Bureau (1201 L St, Modesto, CA 95354) for the next WUD Board of Directors meeting—now featuring special guests from Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) and the National Dairy Council. They’ll brief members on national efforts to move more milk and the push to provide whole milk in schools, with time for Q&A.

RSVP to Norma at norma@wudairies.com or call (209) 541-6773.

Return Your WUD Nomination Forms

WUD members—don’t forget to return your Board of Directors nomination forms you received in the mail! These forms are an important part of keeping our association farmer-led and member-driven. Your participation helps ensure strong local representation and keeps WUD’s advocacy grounded in the real needs of California dairies. Completed nomination forms must be submitted by Monday, November 24, 2025, either in person or via email to norma@wudairies.com.

Download The Form Here

Upcoming Kitchen Table Meetings

Federal News

USDA Extends Deadline for Livestock Disaster Recovery Assistance

The USDA Farm Service Agency has extended the deadline for livestock producers affected by 2023 and 2024 floods and wildfires to apply for the Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP). Producers now have until November 21, 2025, to submit applications for up to $1 billion in recovery benefits. The program helps offset feed losses and other costs from disasters that disrupted operations. Eligible livestock include dairy cattle and other grazing species. Producers in approved counties won’t need to provide disaster documentation, while others must verify qualifying events through FSA-approved records.

Learn More Here

MARKET UPDATE

With struggling domestic demand, declining global prices and strong milk output, CME cheese markets took a tumble. Spot blocks fell to the mid-$1.50s for the first time since March 2024. Barrels declined at a slower pace, settling in the low-$1.60s.

The CME butter market is still caught in its “one step forward, two steps back” dance. Reports suggest demand both domestically and abroad is healthy, amid busy promotional activity and decent export business. The spot price managed to climb to the upper-$1.50s. But with cream still abundant, the market ran out of steam and slipped to the low-$1.50s.

Strong milk production continues to weigh on global prices. This week marked the seventh time in a row the GlobalDairyTrade auction has declined. Skim milk powder eased 0.7% to $1.15 per pound and whole milk powder slipped 1.5% to $1.57.

Reports suggest milk powder supplies are tight in some regions and that’s giving strength to the CME nonfat dry milk market. The spot price climbed through the week, getting close to $1.20 per pound.

USDA released its first World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report since the government shutdown began. The report was bearish for corn. Corn yield estimates were above expectations and stocks increased. Soybeans were neutral, with yields close to expectations and stocks lower, but not dramatically so.

After the WASDE report, nearby corn and soybean futures tumbled. But an all-time high soybean crush number sent the market shooting higher again. December corn rose to the $4.30s, while January soybeans are above $11.50 per bushel.