BELLE grant applications due soon

For the third year, the Minnesota State Fair is contining the Beginning Exhibitor Livestock Learning Experience (BELLE) grant, The program provides grants and mentors to 15 youth livestock exhibitors who are first-time participants in the Minnesota State Fair. The BELLE grant is funded by the Minnesota State Fair Foundation.

BELLE gifts $500 each to large-animal exhibitors entering beef cattle, dairy cattle, horses, sheep, swine, goats and llamas; and $250 each to smallanimal competitors exhibiting rabbits and poultry. These funds help offset costs of participating in the fair, including travel, lodging and purchasing show supplies.

Fifteen total grants will be awarded. Applicants must be Minnesota residents between the ages of 10 and 18. The State Fair is also seeking peer-topeer mentors to help guide grant recipients throughout the year.

Applications for the BELLE Grant and peer-to-peer mentorship program are open through April 3. Information about these programs and how to apply can be found at mnstatefair.org/aboutthe-fair/awards-and-recognition/bellegrant/.

This article was submitted by the Minnesota State Fair. v

2023, up 50 cents from last month’s estimate. That compares to $1.6851 in 2022, $1.2693 in 2021, and $1.0417 in 2020

Whey prices were raised on recent price observations and stronger expected demand and should average 39 cents per pound, up 2.5 cents from February’s estimate. That compares to 60.35 cents in 2022 and 57.44 cents in 2021.

Class III milk prices were projected lower, with the 2023 average estimated at $17.55 per hundredweight, down 35 cents from last month’s estimate, and compares to the $21.96 average in 2022, $17.08 in 2021, and $18.16 in 2020.

The Class IV average was raised to $18.30, up a nickel from last month’s estimate, and compares to $24.47 in 2022, $16.09 in 2021, and $13.49 in 2020.

The January Dairy Products report indicates January’s 1.3 percent increase in milk production kept cheese vats and butter churns particularly busy.

Cheese production totaled a whopping 1.209 billion pounds, up 1.2 percent from December output, which was revised down 7 million pounds, but was up 3.2 percent from January 2022 (a record for January) and the highest monthly output since March 2022.

Wisconsin produced a tad under 296 million pounds of the January total, down 0.6 percent from December but 3.2% above a year ago. California produced 204 million pounds, down 2.4 percent from December and 2.3 percent less than a year ago. New Mexico added 95.5 million pounds, up 14.5 percent from December and 13.6 percent above a year ago. Idaho, at 90.9 million, was up 4.7 percent from December and 3.9 percent above 2022.

Italian cheese totaled 501.4 million pounds, down 1.3 percent from December and 0.4 percent less than a year ago. American cheese hit 501 million pounds, up 3.8 percent from December, and 6.2 percent above a year ago. Mozzarella slipped to 394.7 million pounds, down 1.3 percent from December, but virtually unchanged from a year ago.

Cheddar production hit a record 356.1 million pounds, up 16.1 million or 4.7 percent from December’s count, which was revised up 1.5 million pounds, and was up an eye catching 23.6 million pounds, or 7.1 percent from January 2022.

Butter output jumped to 201.4 million pounds, up 13.6 million pounds or 7.3 percent from December, and 7.4 million pounds or 3.8 percent above a year ago.

Yogurt production totaled 395.7 million pounds, up 6.1 percent from a year ago.

Dry whey output, at 77.9 million pounds, was up 3.1 million pounds or 4.1 percent from December’s total, which was revised down 1.2 million pounds and was 2.5 million pounds or 3.1 percent below a year ago.

Stocks fell to 69.9 million pounds, down 600,000 pounds or 0.8 percent from December, but up 13.3 million pounds or 23.5 percent from a year ago.

Nonfat dry milk output climbed to 177 million pounds, up 9.4 million pounds or 5.6 percent from December’s total which was revised down 11.4 million pounds. Output was up 6.7 million pounds or 4 percent from January 2022.

Stocks jumped 16.5 million pounds, to 271.7 million, up 6.5 percent from December, and 10.1 million or 3.9 percent more than a year ago.

Skim milk powder production totaled 42.8 million pounds, down 12.2 million or 22.2 percent from December’s total which was revised up