Collective Bargaining
FEBRUARY MONTHLY PRICES
Class II
Up
30¢
$18.49/cwt.
Class III
Down
89¢
$17.25/cwt.
Class IV
Up
12¢
$17.75/cwt.
Up
10.7¢
$1.6619/lb.
Butterfat
CALIFORNIA FEBRUARY CLASS PRICES
Class 4 A
Class 4 B
U.S.
All Milk Price
Up
93¢
$18.01/cwt.
Down
43¢
$15.41/cwt.
FEB
$17.70
FEB
$19.40
'12
cwt.
'13
cwt.
WORLD MARKET REPORTS
FEB 18 –
Mar 1, 2013
Butter
Europe
$1.86 $2.02/lb
$1.55 $1.77/lb
U.S.
Oceania
FEB 27 –
Mar 2, 2013
United
States
Skim Milk
Powder
Cheddar
Cheese
$1.53 --$1.68/lb
$1.55 $1.77 $1.73/lb
$1.91/lb
MARKET REPORT
Whole Milk
Powder
$1.73 $1.86/lb
$1.52 $1.75/lb
AA
Butter
Non-Fat Dry
Milk
Block Cheddar
Cheese
Dry Whole
Milk
$1.59/lb
$1.55/lb
$1.66/lb
$1.65 $1.78½
JANUARY COLD STORAGE
Released
02/22/13
Butter stocks: Up 35% from last month; up 21% from a year ago.
American Cheese: Up 1% from last month; unchanged from a year ago
Total Cheese: Up 1% from last month; up 1% from a year ago.
JANUARY MILK PRODUCTION
Released
02/20/13
Milk Production in the 23 major States during January totaled 15.9 billion
pounds, up 0.6% from January 2012. December revised production at 15.7
billion pounds, was up 1.7% from December 2011. The December revision
represented a decrease of 5 million pounds or less than 0.1% from last
month’s preliminary production estimate.
Production per cow in the 23 major States averaged 1,871 pounds for January, 11 pounds above January 2012.
The number of milk cows on farms in the 23 major States was 8.50 million
head, 2,000 head less than January 2012, but 6,000 head more than December
2012.
Organic Valley average pay price
For JAN 2013 $34.18/cwt.
Considering Organic?
Organic Valley Farmer Hotline
888-809-9297
Volume XI, Issue 3
By David Kaseno, National Farmers Dairy Director of Operations
Many parts of the country have been having
their annual quality award dinners. I have been
able to participate in some and it's always great
to meet with you – the members – and hear
what's currently important to you. One thing
that always comes up is uncertainty! There's
no crystal ball. Although nothing is perfectly
certain, there are some things we can count on.
People are going to need food this year, next
year, and a number of years into the future.
Over 90 years ago, Congress recognized that
the producers of food and fiber had a disadvantage in the marketplace because they were
many and the buyers were few and are becoming fewer and larger. Farmers and ranchers
were pitted against each other by region of the
country and by what they produce. Back in
1922 they passed legislation called the CapperVolstead Act which gave farmers and ranchers
the right to join together to bargain and match
the strength of growing companies that processed.
Since 1922, companies joined together to
form huge multinational corporations. Although
farms, and particularly dairies, have gotten larger, they've not kept pace with the market share
enjoyed by industry. So today, even the largest
producers have less bargaining power than we
had in 1922.
Let's reassess:
1. People will eat food.
2. We have the right to organize and price it.
3. Producers don't like uncertainty.
It seems like a no brainer, doesn't it?
Organize and price farm production
at the farm gate.
Available at nfo.org Dairy Tab – Dairy Update
Volume XI, Issue 3
Available at nfo.org Dairy Tab – Dairy Update
MIDWEST REGION
Jill & Gene Derfus
Greenw ood, Wisconsin
By Darlene Coehoorn, Regional Director
Family farming for today and tomorrow would be the
focus on the Jill and Gene Derfus family farm. The labor
force on this farm consists of three generations. Gene is
involved with everything on the farm from all the daily
chores to making repairs as necessary and balancing that
ration with their nutritionist. Jill is the record keeper as
she does all the financial and breeding records along with
helping to milk their herd. Gene’s father does the cattle
feeding every day and during planting and harvest he and
Gene make it all happen. Their four young sons help as
much as they are able. Nick is 10, Zack is 7, Brandon is 4
and Brady is 1½.
Their farm, which is
located between Greenwood and Neillsville in
Clark Co., WI was
purchased from Gene’s
parents in 2003. They
milk approximately 50
cows and raise all of
their young stock. Cull
cows and feeder steers
are marketed through
NFO’s livestock department.
They own 100
tillable acres and rent
another 200 acres on
which they plant 130 acres of corn, 34 acres of soybeans,
10 acres of winter wheat and the balance is hay. Their
milk is marketed through National Farmers and at times
they utilize the More than a Floor Program.
Jill is a trustee on the WI State Board and is also on
the WI State Dairy Committee. Gene is an alternate on
Wisconsin’s Nafcor board and he is a trustee for Clark
County NFO. They were recipients of the WI NFO
Young Leader award in 2004 and the Midwest Region
Collective Bargainer award for 2013.
When they have spare time, they enjoy spending it
with family.
Gene enjoys hunting, fishing and
woodworking. Jill likes baking and crafting; and of
Page 2
course, they are both kept busy getting the kids to
their various activities. Gene and Jill enjoy raising
their boys on the farm because they both know from
experience that it is a great place to grow up.
In March of 2006 most of their cows and the
barn were lost in a barn fire. They built a new 53
stall barn and in July of that year they purchased 50
cows and began milking again. According to Jill,
“Through this difficult time, of course our family
and neighbors were a great help to us, but our “NFO
Family” came through in overwhelming ways.
When you grow up in this organization, it truly feels
like a family. We choose NFO because we want a
stable future in agriculture for many generations to
come”.
I am pleased to have the Derfus family in the
NFO family and I look forward to seeing them
helping direct the future for NFO in whatever
leadership role that they are given. Congratulations
Gene and Jill on a job well done and thanks for your
willingness to accept the challenges we at NFO
direct your way.
CALENDAR OF NFO MEETINGS / EVENTS
MAR 15 – VT State Conference Call
Contact Dan DeLaBruere 802-988-2920 for call in info
IF YOU AR E I NT ER EST ED I N B UYIN G OR S EL L I N G R EPL A CEMEN T S OR WHOL E H E R DS D AI R Y OR BEEF CALL 866 ‐269 ‐42 11