Calendar of Events

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Visit www.TheLandOnline.com to view our complete calendar and enter your own events, or send an e-mail with your event’s details to editor@thelandonline.com.

Minn. — Trade show and breakout sessions with a dairy tract, farm transition tract and crop tract. Contact Colleen Carlson at trax1042@umn.edu or (507) 521-3540.

grower training — Online — Learn about produce safety, good agricultural practices and the FSMA Produce Safety Rule. Register at www.mnd. state.mn.us/fsmatraining. Contact the Minnesota Department of Agriculture at (651) 539-3648.

Faribault, Minn. — Panel of experienced farmers will discuss interseeding, diverse cover crop mixes, full season forage and grazing cover crops. Contact Land Stewardship Project at (612) 722-6377.

— Online — Join Extension educators to discuss how to best manage your fertilizer, soil and garden in extreme weather conditions. Contact z.umn. edu/GardenUp.

Talk Crops — Online — Small grains management update: Extension small grains specialist Jochum Wiersma will provide information based on up-to-date research to help optimize crop management strategies for 2022. Register at z.umn.edu/strategic-farming.

Feb. 24 — Screening of “Livestock on the Land” and Soil Health Presentation — Ridgeway, Iowa — Learn how regenerative practices benefit soil, plant and animal health; the ecosystem; climate and human resiliency — regardless of landscape, climate or foods being grown. Contact Alex Romano at aromano@landstewardshipproject.org or (612) 767-9880.

Outlook Forum — Online — Program includes 30 breakout sessions. Topics include climate mitigation and adaptation; production innovations; trade and global markets; a commodity outlook; supply chain resilience; and equity and inclusion. Register at usda.gov/oce/agoutlook-forum.

Management — Online — Dairy herd manager Chris Szydel will share his experiences using a dairy cattle health monitoring system and how it has changed management practices on the dairy farm. Contact Alex Scanavez at alex.scanavez@altagenetics.com

Getaway — Holstein, Iowa — Designed to help farm couples deal with stress; learn creative communication skills; learn about personality differences; discover helpful resources; and make plans for your farm and family’s future. Contact Fred Hall at fredhall@ iastate.edu or (712) 737-4230.

Talk Crops — Online — Soybean gall midge - knowns and unknowns: Extension pest management specialist Bruce Potter, Extension soybean entomologist Bob Koch and research assistant Gloria Melotto will provide information based on up-to-date research to help optimize crop management strategies for 2022. Register at z.umn.edu/ strategic-farming.

Cold Spring, Minn. — Topics include tar spot and SDS management; waterhemp and barnyardgrass management; corn rootworm management; grain marketing; and nitrogen management. Contact Natan Drewitz at ndrewitz@ umn.edu or (608) 515-4414.

Cow Treatment Options — Online — Webinar explains algorithm-guided and culture-guided selected dry cow treatments, when to consider them and when not to. Contact Fred Hall at fredhall@iastate.edu or (712) 737-4230.

Day — St. Joseph, Minn. — Breakout sessions include perennials, flower design, garlic, food safety in the garden, orchids and hydroponics. Keynote speaker is director of operations at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Vendors will be on hand with products. Contact Stearns County Extension at (320) 255-6169 ext. 1.

This column was written for the marketing week ending Feb. 11.

U.S. dairy exports were record-high in 2021, but hit some headwinds in December. Starting with our biggest category, nonfat-skim milk powder exports totaled 127 million pounds. This is down 3.9 percent from December 2020, but they were up 10.7 percent for all of 2021.

Speaking in the Feb. 14 “Dairy Radio Now” broadcast, HighGround Dairy’s Lucas Fuess said the decrease is “a concerning sign that possibly signifies that logistical and shipping issues are finally negatively impacting the ability of U.S. exporters to move product overseas.” He adds that volume was down 27 percent from November, “even as global demand remained firm into the end of the year with prices continuing to climb in the absence of available product from key global exporters. Mexico remained the top destination, but volume was down 2 percent.”

Cheese exports totaled 68.4 million pounds, up 20.1 percent from a year ago, with year-to-date up 14.2 percent. HighGround Dairy says December was the sixth consecutive month cheese topped exports of a year ago and set a new record on a calendar year basis. The largest year-over-year gain was in cheese moving to Mexico, up 17 percent.

Butter totaled 7.6 million pounds, up 19.6 percent from a year ago and up 110.7 percent year-to-date.

Dry whey exports fell to 31.8 million pounds, down 16.3 percent from December 2020, but 5.6 percent ahead of 2020 overall, as it appears China’s hog herd has been rebuilt.

December was a 23-month low for dry whey exports, the weakest of any month since January 2020, according to Fuess. Chinese market share fell from 53 percent last year to just 27 percent this year, and volume was down 58 percent from a year ago.

The increased dairy product prices drove the value of December exports to just under $595 million, up $90 million from a year ago.

Exports for all of 2021 totaled 5.93 billion pounds, up 10 percent from 2020, and value hit a record $7.7 billion and accounted for over 17 percent of U.S. milk production. News and information for Minnesota and Northern Iowa dairy producers

MIELKE MARKET Fuess says it’s WEEKLY encouraging for

By Lee Mielke farmers to see product leave our shores and not weigh down our markets, depressing prices; but he warned that with 2021 being such a great year, it may be difficult to match in 2022. Continued good exports and robust domestic demand should keep prices well supported, he concluded.

The strong export data drew praise from the National Milk Producers Federation, U.S. Dairy Export Council, and the International Dairy Foods Association — all of whom decried current backlogged port conditions and supply chain challenges. n

Dairy product prices were mostly higher the second week of February. The cheddar blocks held at $1.90 per pound for four sessions, then gained three-quarters of a cent on Feb. 11 to close at $1.9075, 35 cents above a year ago.

The barrels saw a Feb. 11 finish at $1.91. This is up 1.5 cents on the week, 42 cents above a year ago, and 2.5 cents above the blocks. There were two sales of block and 10 of barrel.

The Feb. 4 Dairy and Food Market Analyst reported foodservice sales are beginning to improve again as the latest Covid-19 surge dies down. Dairy Market News says Midwestern cheesemakers reported stronger customer demand the previous week but, as January progressed and prices fell, customers began to pace their orders. The recent bullish movements brought the buyers back. Cheese production is busy though some plants still face employee shortages. Spot milk prices were discounted around $1 under Class, according to Dairy Market News.

Retail demand for cheese is steady in the West while food service demand continued to decline. Many restaurants in the region continue to operate with reduced hours or are closed due to Covid concerns and labor shortages. International cheese demand is strengthening as U.S. prices were below European prices. Loads of cheese continue to face delays due to a shortage of available truck drivers and exports continue to face delays from port congestion. Spot inventories are meeting current demand. Milk is available for cheese producers to run busy schedules though some are still dealing with labor shortages and delayed deliveries of production supplies, says Dairy Market News.

Butter soared to a $2.755 per pound close, up 25.5 cents on the week, highest since Jan. 24, $1.36 above a year ago, with eight sales reported on the week

Central region butter producers are wrapping up spring holiday inventory preparations. With cream available in and out of the region, they are running busy churns, but still note employee shortages are inhibiting full production. Some plants are still receiving cream from the west, but driver shortages, particularly out west, are prevalent.

Cream inventories are available in the west, but demand is holding steady. Transportation delays and labor shortages are causing some plants to run below capacity. Demand for butter is strong in both domestic and international markets. Retail butter sales are steady while food service

For more information, contact: Craig Tomera, Identity Preserved Crop Specialist 507.279.4496 | craig.tomera@grainmillers.com

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