THE LAND — APRIL 2/APRIL 9, 2021
www.thelandonline.com — “Where Farm and Family Meet”
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Cheese production is up, demand may be lagging This column was written for the marfood prices are inflated in China helps to keting week ending March 26. project upcoming demand and points to “food shortages due to disease and China was the proverbial “bull in the weather, alongside rising needs and a china shop” when it came to the latest growing middle class. China does not import data. Reminiscent of its buying in have enough productive farmland, keep2014, data was released this week for ing food imports critical. If a pandemic both January and February, which was could not stop China from recording the case last year. But HighGround Dairy record dairy imports in 2020, consumpsays January marked the highest volMIELKE MARKET tion trends throughout this year will be umes on record for any month. WEEKLY strong as well. The country is turning to Whole milk powder imports in the two protein of any sort, including dairy, drivBy Lee Mielke months totaled 530.4 million pounds, up ing global values higher in recent weeks 7.4 percent from 2020. Skim milk where they will stay until Chinese powder totaled 192.5 million pounds, buyers are satisfied with inventory up 35.9 percent. Butter, at 46.2 millevels.” lion pounds, was down 18.8 percent, but cheese New Zealand exports are faring well, thanks to totaled 67.7 million pounds, up 33.7 percent year-toChina, and continue to break records. February data date. Whey product imports amounted to 277.1 milwas similar to January, says HighGround Dairy, lion pounds, up 49.2 percent from the same period a with growth primarily in whole milk powder and year ago. fluid milk and cream. Cheese exports started the The biggest leap was in whole milk powder from year at five year highs as exports to China accountNew Zealand, according to HighGround Dairy, and ed for 25.5 percent market share for the first two fluid milk and cream from the EU-27. China frontmonths of 2021. loaded both whole and skim milk powder in Back in the United States, February butter stocks January, as they typically do, “but it came at an climbed to 352.7 million pounds, up 20.8 million even stronger pace than usual given global shipping pounds or 6.3 percent from the January level, which uncertainty.” was revised 3.5 million pounds higher than what New Zealand, Germany and Poland recorded fresh was reported a month ago. Butter stocks are a highs to start a calendar year, according to whopping 50.9 million pounds or 16.8 percent above HighGround Dairy, and while imports from the Feb. 2020. United States were also strong, whey demand was February was the 20th consecutive month butter slightly below that of 2018. China brought in more stocks topped those a year ago. However, the build product from Belarus, EU and Turkey, says HighGround Dairy, blaming shipping issues for the was smaller than many expected. That is a positive; but butter output remains strong and we’ll get more decline. details in the February Dairy Products report HighGround Dairy says that remembering why issued April 1.
MARKETING
American-type cheese stocks hit 816 million pounds, up 6.9 million pounds or 0.9 percent from January, which was revised up 8.3 million pounds, and is 37.7 million or 4.8 percent above a year ago. The ”other” cheese category jumped to 597.5 million pounds, up 19.6 million pounds or 3.4 percent from January and 37.8 million or 6.8 percent above a year ago. The total cheese inventory stood at 1.44 billion pounds, up 27.8 million pounds or 2 percent from January and 74.1 million pounds or 5.4 percent above a year ago. February was the fourth month in a row that See MIELKE, pg. 18
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Ryberg optimistic for 2021 season RYBERG, from pg. 15 so we’re very pleased with the Haney test scores we’re seeing each year.” Ryberg also employs variable nitrogen application rates for his crops. “Our fields are mapped and we collect yield data on a field-by-field basis. So we do some ‘spoon feeding’ our corn — especially those fields on continuous corn which get upwards of 220 pounds actual nitrogen. We’ve proven we can raise 225-230 bushel yields, so we try to feed according to appetite. On soybeans we’ve cut back to about 160 pounds. Commodity prices are strong. China continues a major buyer of U.S. farm production — be that corn, soybeans, soybean oil, now ethanol fuels and even pork and beef are getting lots of China buyers too. I asked Ryberg for his predictions for the upcoming crop year. “Right now we’re pretty optimistic,” he said. “Soil
moistures are looking good. We’re hoping to get an early start. If Mother Nature cooperates with us throughout the growing season, 2021 could be a good one.” With your increasing soil health, are you also considering boosting planting rates of corn, and even soybeans? “We’ve done a little with both crops,” explained Ryberg. “We don’t have much variability in our soils … pretty much flat and black on all our crop land. On seed genetics, we get at least a couple years data before making changes in our corn genetics, even our soybeans. In fact, with good genetics, it’s usually three to four years before a significant change to new pedigrees.” So the bottom line for Ryberg Farms: Over the past six years they’re averaging $70 to $80 per acre reductions in total production costs. In simple farm jargon, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” v
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