All-Milk Price Rebounds to $15

The U.S. all-milk price, an estimated blend of prices received by dairy farmers, climbed back to $15 in November, according to USDA in its Ag Prices report released today.

Price have not been this high since December 2008, when the all-milk price came in at $15.50/cwt. The $15 November price was an 80¢/cwt improvement over October. But it was still $2.10/cwt below prices a year ago.

And, of course, all regions of the country are still not experiencing the $15. California, for example, came in at $13.60 for November milk. Idaho, with stronger cheese prices but with very little fluid milk, came in at $14.60. Florida, in contrast, topped the country at $18.60/cwt.

The other bit of good news was improving feed prices. Corn prices averaged $3.64/bu in November and soybeans $9.48/bu.

Add it all up, and dairy producers are getting much closer to break-even prices as the year ends.