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Pay and Feed Price, January 2025

By Ed Maltby, NODPA Executive Director

The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has published estimated national organic fluid product sales for September and October 2024, compiled with data from the Federal Milk Marketing Order. In September, the data shows a continued increase in the sales of Organic Whole Milk packaged fluid products of 15.5% over September 2023, and the October data shows sales at 10.1% over October 2023. There was a 2.9% increase in Organic Fat Reduced Milk in September 2024 over September 2023, but a 0.8% increase in October 2024 over October 2023. Year to date, October 2024, organic fluid milk sales are 6.8% higher than the same period in 2023.

Producers report, anecdotally, and Maple Hill executives confirm that organic dairy products with the extra Grass Fed certification are in short supply as sales increase. There is no separate, independent data on Grass-Fed organic sales available. Maple Hill, Family Farmstead and Organic Valley Grass Fed are certified under the Organic Plus Trust (OPT) which has a steering committee of leaders from Maple Hill, Pennsylvania Certified Organic and CROPP Cooperative. Horizon Grass Fed producers use the American Grass Fed Association certification.

Total US sales of organic fluid milk products were 249 million pounds in September 2024, with organic Whole Milk sales at 131 million pounds, and sales of organic Fat Reduced Milk at 117 million pounds. In October 2024, total sales of organic packaged milk were 256 million pounds, with sales of organic packaged Whole Milk at 137 million pounds, and sales of organic Fat Reduce Milk at 117 million pounds. Reports from producers are that organic milk is still short in the Northeast, and across the country, with spot milk as high as $46/cwt.

The average retail price for organic milk in 2024, as recorded by Federal milk order market administrators based on a survey conducted one day between the 1st and 10th of each month (excluding Fridays and weekends) in selected cities or metropolitan areas, is $4.81 per half gallon. During 2024, the average price has varied very little, peaking at $4.87 in July, with the lowest price in January 2024 of $4.73/half gallon. The highest monthly retail price was $4.88/half gallon in September 2023. These averages do not reflect the retail prices for brand named products and Grass Fed certified products in retail stores that can be over $6 per half gallon.

The yearly average retail price was recorded at $3.81 per half gallon in 2008 to an average of $4.81 in 2024, an increase of $24/cwt. Since 2008, the average Pay Price has increased by approximately $6/cwt.

Estimated Fluid Milk Products Sales Reports

Product Name

Sales of Organic Fluid Milk

Change from

Sept-24

2024 Year to date

Sept-23

Year to date

Million pounds

Percent

Organic Whole Milk

131

1,182

15.5%

13.3%

Flavored Whole milk

1

7

-19.7%

0.0%

Organic Reduced-Fat Milk (2%)

80

724

4.2%

4.6%

Organic Low-Fat Milk (1%)

21

188

0.3%

-7.8%

Organic Fat-Free Milk Skim

10

100

-0.3%

-9.6%

Organic Flavored Fat-Reduced Milk

6

59

-0.3%

2.2%

Other Fluid Organic Milk Products

0

3

63.7%

21.8%

Total Fat Reduced Milk

117

1,071

2.9%

0.6%

Total Organic Milk Products

249

2,264

9.1%

6.9%

Product Name

Sales of Organic Fluid Milk

Change from

Oct-24

2024 Year to date

Oct-23

Year to date

Million pounds

Percent

Organic Whole Milk

137

1,319

10.1%

12.9%

Flavored Whole milk

1

9

23.7%

2.9%

Organic Reduced-Fat Milk (2%)

82

805

9.7%

5.1%

Organic Low-Fat Milk (1%)

20

208

-9.9%

-8.0%

Organic Fat-Free Milk Skim

10

110

-14.4%

-10.1%

Organic Flavored Fat-Reduced Milk

5

64

-33.0%

-1.7%

Other Fluid Organic Milk Products

1

4

204.3%

40.2%

Total Fat Reduced Milk

117

1,188

0.8%

0.7%

Total Organic Milk Products

256

2,520

5.9%

6.8%

Data may not add due to rounding to the nearest million pounds

FMMO 1 reported that in October 2024, fluid Organic Whole Milk utilization of organic milk packaged within the Order totaled 16.17 million pounds; lower than the previous year of 18.1 million pounds. In October 2024, Organic Reduced Fat Milk packaged in the Order, 13.45 million pounds, was down from 15.44 million pounds in October 2023. The total organic fluid milk packaged in the Order in October 2024 of 29.62 million pounds, was down 12% from October 2023 total of 33.64 million pounds. All milk packaged outside the Order but sold within the Order increased by 6% or 8.33 million pounds in October 2024 over October 2023. This would include organic fluid milk packaged outside the Order but sold within the Order.

In November 2024, Organic Whole Milk packaged in the Order was 16.39 million pounds, a small decrease from November 2023 of 16.89 million pounds. In October 2024, Organic Reduced Fat Milk packaged in the Order was 14.09 million pounds, lower than the 14.30 packaged in November 2023. Total organic milk packaged in the Order in November 2024 of 30.84 million pounds was down from the 31.89 million pounds packaged in November 2023. Year to date, January to November 2024, there was a total of 368.82 million pounds of organic fluid milk packaged and sold in FMMO 1, an increase of 2.51 million pounds or 0.69% over the same period in 2023. In November 2024, there was 149.35 million pounds of milk marketed as Class 1 in FMMO 1 but packaged outside the FMMO 1 marketing area, an increase of 2.61 million pounds over November 2023.

UTILIZATION OF ORGANIC FLUID MILK PRODUCTS AND CREAM BY POOL PLANTS (Million pounds) in FMMO 1 (Northeast) not including packaged out of order

Month

Fluid retail Organic Milk 2024

Fluid retail Organic Milk 2023

Fluid retail Organic Milk 2022

Fluid retail Organic Milk 2021

Fluid retail Organic Milk 2020

JANUARY

34.93

37.00

29.14

31.32

23.93

FEBRUARY

31.50

31.65

33.65

31.56

26.69

MARCH

34.82

37.37

31.56

31.87

27.90

APRIL

35.68

31.51

33.23

28.97

29.35

MAY

38.95

36.24

30.49

29.72

28.25

JUNE

31.51

34.59

31.53

28.41

26.90

JULY

35.54

30.75

29.44

25.50

26.70

AUGUST

34.07

33.75

32.12

27.18

24.70

SEPTEMBER

31.72

28.32

35.00

30.26

29.70

OCTOBER

29.62

33.54

34.83

29.47

25.78

NOVEMBER

30.48

31.19

31.13

31.07

24.47

DECEMBER

33.56

33.78

31.36

28.13

ANNUAL

399.47

385.90

356.68

322.50

There are 3 other FMMO’s that publish reports of the volume of Class 1 organic packaged milk in their Order, two of which report how much is ‘exported’ to other Orders. In October 2024 of the 256 million pounds packaged and sold as Class 1 organic milk in the US, approximately 146.72 million pounds was packaged in 4 Orders that publish reports on organic milk packaged in their Order. That leaves over 100 million pounds of organic milk that is packaged in Orders that do not publish the data on organic milk that they collect. In both October and November 2024, Order 32 (Central) packaged more organic milk than any other order at 50.36 million pounds in October and 48.04 million pounds in November. Order 51 (California) packaged 45.02 in October and 36.7 million pounds in November. Order 33 (Mideast) packages less than Order1, with 21.72 million pounds in October and 20.12 million pounds in November 2024. In Order 32 (Central FO where Aurora Dairies are located), 88.5% of the organic milk packaged in 2024 was ‘exported’ to other Orders

Reports from producers, and from those advertising on NODPA’s website and in the NODPA News, are that demand for organic certified cows and heifers is very strong, with prices paid equal to and exceeding conventional dairy replacements, $2,500 per head and higher. In the article Leatherstocking Cattle Exchange by Robert Yoder, in this issue, he reports on the interest in A2A2 cows and heifers and Alex Weaver’s recent auction. NOFA-NY-certified livestock auction in New Berlin, New York, reports that organic cull cows consistently sold above conventional cows in November and December 2024. The average price for conventional cull cows ranged from a low of $92/cwt to a high of $129 /cwt in December. Calf prices are still strong but no premium for organic. Organic milking cows were selling well at an average of $1,500-$3,800 each in November and December 2024. In a recent report from a Pacific Northwest livestock auction, USDA stated the overall average for organic cull cow prices traded higher than the overall average for conventional cull cows. The average price for the top 10 organic cows auctioned was $129.97 per hundredweight, compared to an average price of $132.41 per hundredweight for auctioned top 10 conventional cows. The average weight for the top 10 conventional cows was 1370.0 pounds compared to 1371.5 pounds for the top 10 organic cows. The overall price for organic cows auctioned was $111.02 per hundredweight with an average weight of 1283.87 pounds, while the overall price for conventional cows auctioned was $99.57 per hundredweight with an average weight of 1267.70 pounds.

Vermont Monthly Organic Dairy Report and Pennsylvania Monthly Organic Reports

Part of a new pilot program in partnership with the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service Market News to collect organic market data for the 2023/2024 growing seasons are reported monthly.

Vermont Report

Month

Volume(lbs.)

Ave. daily production per cow (lbs.)

Min Price

Max Price

Weighted Av Pay Price

Ave. Butterfat

Ave. Protein

Nov-23

1,155,583

39.6

$ 27.92

$ 43.60

$ 37.01

Dec-23

1,227,212

39.3

$ 27.92

$ 47.13

$ 39.70

Jan-24

1,224,497

40.2

$ 35.00

$ 47.38

$ 39.97

4.21%

3.03%

Feb-24

1,073,895

41.9

$ 36.04

$ 46.74

$ 39.99

4.82%

3.43%

Mar-24

1,088,144

46.4

$ 33.68

$ 42.87

$ 36.59

4.64%

3.38%

Apr-24

958,104

44.5

$ 33.08

$ 41.85

$ 36.10

4.59%

3.34%

May-24

1,105,985

51

$ 32.10

$ 39.11

$ 34.77

4.38%

3.32%

Jun-24

860,631

50.7

$ 31.65

$ 39.10

$ 34.00

4.20%

3.22%

Jul-24

1,013,388

48.4

$ 30.70

$ 37.06

$ 33.00

3.99%

3.13%

Aug-24

1,169,419

47.8

$ 31.49

$ 38.79

$ 34.39

4.03%

3.21%

Sep-24

1,066,596

48.3

$ 29.50

$ 38.75

$ 34.08

4.09%

3.29%

Pennsylvania Report

Month

Volume(lbs.)

Ave. daily production per cow (lbs.)

Min Pay Price

Max Pay Price

Weighted Av. Pay Price

Ave. Butterfat

Ave. Protein

Jun-24

1,331,605

31.23

$ 25.05

$ 41.74

$ 33.57

3.98%

3.07%

Jul-24

1,170,262

27.9

$ 25.50

$ 41.43

$ 33.55

3.88%

2.99%

Aug-24

1,167,928

27.93

$ 28.45

$ 42.32

$ 34.60

3.99%

3.11%

Sep-24

1,268,946

30.76

$ 28.70

$ 43.22

$ 35.61

4.17%

3.30%

Organic Milk Exports

The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) released a monthly report for September and October 2024. Exports for Septem­ber 2024 were 268,828 liters (610,444 lbs.), down 7.7% percent from August, but up 70.4 percent from 2023. Recently released data for October 2024 indicated organic milk exports were 464,716 liters (1,055,259 lbs.), up 73% from the month prior, and down 85.2% from 2023. Exports of organic milk from the start of the year through October are up 36.2% percent, compared to the same period one year ago.

Feed

National data from USDA has organic feed corn delivered to the elevator averaging $6.41 per bushel in December 2024. Organic feed soybean delivered to the elevator averaged $19.78/bu. in November 2024. Organic feed wheat averaged $6.02/bushel in November. Soybean meal is currently trading at $889/ton. Costs for organic Alfalfa are about the same as conventional, at $260 -$300 per ton.

Attached Files:

Posted: to Organic Pay, Feed & Grain Prices on Sun, Jan 12, 2025
Updated: Sun, Jan 12, 2025