Dairy market improves as consumers go ‘back to basics’

Amy Hadachek
Oct 8, 2020
Oct 8, 2020 Updated Jul 21, 2021

KC Dairy parlor — Arturo Mendez prepares for milking at the KC Dairy in Elkton, S.D. The dairy was recognized recently for its efficiencies in reproduction and fertility.
Tri-State Neighbor photo by Noah Wicks

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Although milk and dairy products saw dramatic consumer increases during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic this spring through summer, 2020 will be firmly cemented as an unprecedented rollercoaster for the dairy industry.

kAm%92E 2DD6DD>6?E @7 8=@32= 2?5 &]$] 52:CJ >2C<6ED 7C@> s2:CJ |2?286>6?E x?4] H2D 649@65 3J EH@ DEC2E68:DED 5FC:?8 2 H63:?2C 9@DE65 3J E96 x\ah |@@ &?:G6CD:EJ r@?D@CE:F> pF8] ad]k^Am

kAmx?4C62D65 4@?DF>AE:@? @7 >:=<[ 4966D6[ :46 4C62>[ 3FEE6C 2?5 @E96C 52:CJ AC@5F4ED AC@5F465 H6=4@>6 8C@HE9 7@C E96 p>6C:42? 52:CJ >2C<6E 6DA64:2==J :? DAC:?8] w@H6G6C[ 3642FD6 @7 E96 @?8@:?8 A2?56>:4[ C6D62C496CD 2C6 7@C642DE:?8 “96:89E6?65 G@=2E:=:EJ 2?5 F?46CE2:?EJ” 7@C E96 C6DE @7 a_a_ 2D E96J ?2G:82E6 E96 A2E9 E@ 2 ?6H ?@C>2=]k^Am

kAm~?6 H63:?2C DA62<6C D2:5 E9C@F89 yF=J J62C\E@\52E6[ %6I2D[ x529@[ r2=:7@C?:2 2?5 r@=@C25@ =65 >:=< AC@5F4E:@? 8C@HE9[ 7@==@H65 3J $@FE9 s2<@E2[ H:E9 E96 7:7E9 =2C86DE :?4C62D6 @7 `d_ >:==:@? A@F?5D[ 2D AC@46DD:?8 42A24:EJ 92D 6IA2?565 E96C6]k^Am

kAm“*62C\@G6C\J62C AC@5F4E:@? 82:?D 2C6 6IA64E65 E9C@F89 E96 7:CDE 92=7 @7 a_a`[ H:E9 r~'xs 92G:?8 2 A@D:E:G6 :>A24E @? 52:CJ’D :>286[” D2:5 |2CJ {65>2?[ H9@ D6CG6D 2D #23@32?<’D 8=@32= 52:CJ DEC2E68:DE 2E E96:C r9:428@ @77:46]k^Am

kAms2:CJ D2=6D H6C6 FA 5C2>2E:42==J 5FC:?8 |2C49 2?5 pAC:= H96? r~'xs 9:E E96 &]$] %96? 52:CJ AC@5F4E G@=F>6 5C@AA65 @G6C E96 DF>>6C 7C@> :ED :?:E:2= r~'xs A62<]k^Am

kAm~G6C2== 9@H6G6C[ 52:CJ AC@5F4E 8C@HE9 :D DEC@?8 4@>A2C65 E@ =2DE J62C[ 244@C5:?8 E@ DE2E:DE:4D C6=62D65 :? 62C=J $6AE6>36C 7C@> s2:CJ |2?286>6?E x?4]k^Am

kAmqFEE6C 2?5 3FEE6C 3=6?5D H6C6 FA bg]hT @G6C E96 D2>6 A6C:@5 2 J62C 28@] s2:CJ 4C62> H2D FA b`]aT 7C@> =2DE DF>>6C]k^Am

kAm$@FC 4C62> D2=6D H6C6 FA ab]eT 5FC:?8 E96 A2?56>:4 4@>A2C65 2 J62C 28@] }2EFC2= 2?5 AC@46DD65 4966D6 C@D6 aa]bT] ~E96C 4@>7@CE 7@@5D DF49 2D :46 4C62> 2?5 D96C36E H6C6 FA `b]eT] w2=7 2?5 92=7 D2=6D H6C6 `a]aT 9:896C]k^Am

People are also reading…

Screwworm spreads into 4 more counties
Longtime dairy farmer leads state dairy organizations
Better days for beets
Iowa dairy farm engages visitors while expanding operations
Interseeding outcompetes weeds, has host of other benefits
Cereal rye smothers weeds
Revamped program offers one-year contract for cover crops
Simple changes make the difference in cooling off cattle
Downpour floods fields in south-central North Dakota as farmers finish planting
How Mitchell-based Trail King powers heavy haul across North America
Montana Department of Livestock and MSU Extension issue guidance after New World screwworm detected in Texas
Competition and camaraderie
Happy Rock 4-H’er delivers buckets of smiles in Jefferson County
Oliver love leads to book
Geopolitical issues influencing soybean market

kAmr@EE286 4966D6 H2D FA f]hT 7C@> 2 J62C 28@] |:=< D2=6D H6C6 FA e]fT 2?5 J@8FCE :?4C62D65 c]hT]k^Am

kAmx? a_`h[ &]$] >:=< AC:46D C@D6 E@ =6G6=D ?@E 6IA6C:6?465 :? @E96C 4@F?EC:6D] $@[ H96? r~'xs 9:E[ &]$] AC:46D 76== 7FCE96C 2?5 72DE6C E92? tFC@A62? >:=< AC:46D]k^Am

kAm“%9:D A2DE yF?6[ H6 D2H @FC AC:46D 72== E@ S` 2 A@F?5[ E96? AC:46D ;F>A65 E@ Sb 2 A@F?5[” {65>2? D2:5] “%96 C646?E FAE:4< :? tFC@A62? AC:46D 2C6 5C:G6? :? A2CE 3J E96 492?86 :? E96 6I492?86 C2E6 2?5 E92E E96 &]$] 5@==2C 92D 72==6? C646?E=J] tFC@A62? AC:46D 92G6 8@EE6? >@C6 6IA6?D:G6]”k^Am

kAm%96C6 H6C6 DEC@?8 4966D6 6IA@CED] (96? AC:46D 4C2D965 :? E96 368:??:?8 @7 =@4<5@H?D[ :E DEC6?8E96?65 6IA@CED E@ |6I:4@] $@FE9 z@C62 2?5 r9:?2 H6C6 9:E 62C=J @? H:E9 r~'xs[ 3FE ?@H E9@D6 A=246D 92G6 =6G6=65 @77]k^Am

kAmu@C E96 D64@?5 92=7 @7 a_a_[ {65>2? ?@E65 E92E >:=< AC:46D A:4<65 FA D:?46 pAC:=]k^Am

kAmxE’D 2 H6=4@>6 EFC?2C@F?5 27E6C |2J 2?5 yF?6 D2H 3@E9 9:89D 2?5 =@HD :? E96 4@C@?2G:CFD\:>A24E65 52:CJ :?5FDECJ] s2:CJ AC@5F4ED[ 4@?D:56C65 “4@>7@CE 7@@5D” 2?5 2=D@ <?@H? 2D E96 “32D:4D” D2H 2 EC6>6?5@FD DFC86 :? @?=:?6 3FJ:?8 5FC:?8 E96 A2?56>:4]k^Am

kAm“sFC:?8 E9:D E:>6 H96C6 72>:=:6D 2C6 DFAA@CE:?8 6249 @E96C 2E 9@>6 H:E9 >62=D 2?5 >@C6 E:>6 E@86E96C[ E96C6 :D D@>6E9:?8 D@ 4@>7@CE:?8 23@FE E96 ?FEC:E:@? 2?5 8@@5?6DD 52:CJ AC@G:56D[” D2:5 $2>2?E92 r2CE6C[ DA@<6DH@>2? 7@C |:5H6DE s2:CJ]k^Am

kAmv@G6C?>6?E 2:5 92D A=2J65 2? :>A@CE2?E C@=6 :? E96 >@DE C646?E AC:46 C63@F?5D] %96 &]$] 96:89E6?65 8@G6C?>6?E AFC492D6D 2?5 >256 5:C64E A2J>6?ED E@ 72C>6CD]k^Am

kAm{@@<:?8 7@CH2C5 E@ E96 C6>2:?:?8 >@?E9D @7 a_a_ 2?5 :?E@ a_a`[ q6? {2:?6 @7 #23@32?< 6IA64ED E9:?8D E@ D6EE=6 5@H?]k^Am

kAm“x 5@?’E E9:?< J@F’== D66 E96 >28?:EF56 ?@C G@=2E:=:EJ E92E H6’G6 D66? E96 =2DE 76H >@?E9D[” D2:5 {2:?6[ G:46 AC6D:56?E @7 52:CJ C6D62C49 7@C #23@32?<]k^Am

kAm{65>2? C642AA65 E96 J62C D@ 72Ci “pD 4@?DF>6CD H6?E 324< E@ E96 32D:4D[ 52:CJ 36?67:EE65]”k^Am

Amy Hadachek can be reached at editorial@midwestmessenger.com.