April 28, 2026

Dairy market report

Source: Ever.Ag

We partner with Ever.Ag to provide highlights of weekly dairy market activities, along with a summary of key market indicators.

Retail sales reached $752.1 billion in March, up 1.7% from February and +4.0% year-over-year, on the back of higher gas prices due to conflict in Iran. Grocery store spending rose 0.2% from last March, while food services sales were 2.4% higher year-over-year.

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Minnesota Legislature update

Source: Daryn McBeth, MN Milk contract lobbyist

The Minnesota Legislative Session has three weeks remaining before it must adjourn on May 18. The pace of lawmaking and work on bills has transitioned from committee to the floors of the House and Senate.

After bills are passed by the House and Senate, if there are differences between the bills, they will go through a conference committee process to reconcile the different versions of the bills.

After a delay in the House Ways & Means Committee, the full House passed the DAIRI “fix” bill by a vote of 129-4, which the Senate already passed unanimously. The identical bill went immediately to the Governor, who is expected to sign the bill today. The measure made Minnesota dairy farms that came into existence since 2022 eligible for a share of the $3 million in previously appropriated grant funding to incentivize signup for the 6-year Dairy Margin Coverage program.

The House Agriculture Committee has failed to produce a supplemental budget bill because of a stand-off pertaining to banning a herbicide called paraquat dichloride. Work on a supplemental agriculture budget bill continues in the Senate, but whether a final bill comes together is uncertain. A few measures contained in the agriculture bill being monitored by MN Milk include extension of the Farmer-Lender Mediation Program and changes to Down Payment Assistance Program grants.

A tax bill is also still being formulated, and MN Milk is working to see that a provision on the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit is included that would remove the limit on available credits and funding under the program.

APHIS updates guidance on the interstate movement of lactating dairy cattle

Source: APHIS

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued updated guidance related to the April 2024 Federal Order that required testing of lactating dairy cattle before they move across State lines.

Effective immediately, lactating dairy cattle moving interstate from States with Unaffected State Status under the National Milk Testing Strategy are no longer required to be tested for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 prior to movement.

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Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative urges swift action on the Farm Bill in the House

Source: Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative

Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, the second largest dairy cooperative in the country based on milk volume, recently joined over 300 other agricultural organizations calling for swift action by the House of Representatives in moving the farm bill forward. In early March, the House Agriculture Committee approved the legislation with bipartisan action, with a vote of 34 to 17.

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Ice Cream Day at the Capitol: May 6

Source: MN Milk

Ice Cream Day at the Capitol returns next week on May 6 in St. Paul. Join us for this fun event celebrating the Minnesota dairy community!

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Are you looking to improve your herd’s health and boost productivity for generations to come?

Source: Zoetis

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