A tightening cheese supply is sending prices higher globally.
This month cheddar block prices reached $2.27 per pound. Cobank says that is the highest price in 27 months.
Class III Milk futures are also on the rise, with the bundle average reaching $22.90 in the week following Labor Day. While higher prices moving into the fall is great, traders do not believe they will hang around for long.
CME has the four-month average for January to April 2025 Class III features at just $19.80.
Related Stories
Jeramy Stephens, with National Land Realty, says that despite today’s economic headwinds, farmland remains a resilient asset — and understanding local conditions is key to making sound decisions.
Higher domestic rail tariffs and mixed capacity shifts will influence grain movement this harvest. Strong corn exports provide momentum, but logistics costs remain a critical factor.
The Final Grain Stocks Report may be the last key figures we see if a government shutdown halts future updates.
The USDA noted that peanut edible utilization season-to-date is down 3% on the year, despite overall stocks increasing.
“Those could’ve easily been our beans going over there. It goes to show that if that opportunity is there, China would be willing to buy.”
A booming butterfat market is good for some dairy products but threatens efficiency and margins for cheesemakers unless protein levels catch up