# Dairy outlook 2026: Higher milk production and stronger prices

> USDA's April Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook raised 2026 US milk production to 235.3 billion pounds as the herd grows. Dairy export forecasts were raised to 19.5 billion pounds on a milk-fat basis and 49.0 billion on skim solids, with record February milk-fat exports.

- Date: 2026-04-21 · published 2026-04-21T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: report · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/19713-dairy-outlook-2026-higher-milk-production-and-stronger-prices
- Commodities: [Milk (Class III)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/MILK.md)

## Why it matters

Higher output combined with strong export demand gives mixed signals, but stronger product prices support milk values. Larger milk supply also means more byproduct availability for feed.

## Read by commodity

- MILK: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| MILK | 2026-02-18 | [USDA February 2026 Dairy Outlook: Prices, Production & Trade](https://feedsoft.ai/events/20614-usda-february-2026-dairy-outlook-prices-production-and-trade.md) | -0.3% | +7.4% |
| MILK | 2026-05-12 | [USDA projects more milk production, dairy trade, and higher 2026 milk prices - Brownfield Ag News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/19254-usda-projects-more-milk-production-dairy-trade-and-higher-2026-milk-prices.md) | -0.4% | -5.5% |
| MILK | 2021-09-14 | [Declining Milk Production Leads to Higher Prices](https://feedsoft.ai/events/45215-declining-milk-production-leads-to-higher-prices.md) | +0.1% | +8.1% |
| MILK | 2024-03-19 | [Dairy Outlook: March 2024 - Dairy Producer](https://feedsoft.ai/events/31200-dairy-outlook-march-2024-dairy-producer.md) | -0.1% | -5.9% |
| MILK | 2019-12-11 | [2020 milk price outlook improves - Progressive Dairy \| Ag Proud](https://feedsoft.ai/events/55581-2020-milk-price-outlook-improves-progressive-dairy-ag-proud.md) | -0.3% | -12.8% |

## Sources

- dairyproducer.com: https://dairyproducer.com/dairy-market-outlook-2026-milk-production-prices/

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.