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A Wisconsin Extension analysis explains why Class IV milk prices rose well above Class III in early 2026, with Class IV at $18.94/cwt and Class III at $16.16/cwt in March. The divergence is traced to a sharp nonfat dry milk rally and a shift in skim milk use toward ultrafiltration and high-protein products.
The article also notes that Class IV strength does not translate directly into higher pay prices for cheese-route producers.
Tighter nonfat dry milk supply lifts Class IV values, but Wisconsin cheese-route producers priced off Class III see a smaller benefit, so farm-gate milk checks lag the headline Class IV gains.
farms.extension.wisc.eduLeonard PolzinMay 13, 2026Not enough comparable past events yet for a historical read.
Moves of each commodity's benchmark from the last close before the event. Historical reads pool past events of the same kind; they describe what happened, not what will. Not investment advice.
