# Dairy risk management calendar: October 2026 | Ag Proud

> Dairy analysts note that cheese and butter prices are near historic lows while dry whey and nonfat dry milk remain strong. Input costs are rising, with feed hit by unfavorable summer weather and diesel and gasoline prices surging on geopolitical tensions.

- Date: 2026-09-28 · published 2026-09-28T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: macro · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/5029-dairy-risk-management-calendar-october-2026-ag-proud
- Commodities: [Milk (Class III)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/MILK.md), [ULSD / Diesel](https://feedsoft.ai/c/DIESEL.md)

## Why it matters

Higher feed and energy costs squeeze dairy margins, which could affect producer demand for feed ingredients as the outlook for the rest of 2026 points to downside risks.

## Read by commodity

- MILK: bearish ▼
- DIESEL: bullish ▲

## Linked price moves

| Commodity | Date | Window | Change % | z-score | Why linked |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| MILK | 2026-10-02 | 5 | -7.3% | -2.9 | Cheese and butter near historic lows reinforce bearish Class III pressure, though strong whey and NDM partly offset it. |

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| MILK | 2020-10-26 | [Stephenson: Pandemic will weigh on dairy markets into 2021 - Progressive Dairy \| Ag Proud](https://feedsoft.ai/events/50651-stephenson-pandemic-will-weigh-on-dairy-markets-into-2021-progressive-dairy-ag.md) | -0.2% | +7.0% |
| MILK | 2017-07-28 | [Powder market still rebalancing as Europe seeks equilibrium - Progressive Dairy \| Ag Proud](https://feedsoft.ai/events/70118-powder-market-still-rebalancing-as-europe-seeks-equilibrium-progressive-dairy.md) | +6.0% | +6.6% |
| MILK | 2020-03-25 | [COVID-19 pandemic rocks dairy markets \| Capital Press](https://feedsoft.ai/events/54272-covid-19-pandemic-rocks-dairy-markets-capital-press.md) | -0.2% | -17.5% |
| MILK | 2017-04-20 | [Dairy price outlook falters, remains better than 2016](https://feedsoft.ai/events/71639-dairy-price-outlook-falters-remains-better-than-2016.md) | -0.2% | +2.5% |
| MILK | 2022-07-12 | [Lee Mielke: Dairy product demand weakening \| Capital Press](https://feedsoft.ai/events/40633-lee-mielke-dairy-product-demand-weakening-capital-press.md) | -0.8% | -12.3% |
| DIESEL | 2022-11-22 | [C$ rises as October flash economic estimates show gains \| Financial Post](https://feedsoft.ai/events/38910-c-rises-as-october-flash-economic-estimates-show-gains-financial-post.md) | -6.6% | -13.8% |
| DIESEL | 2018-01-26 | [What looms ahead for fuel prices in 2018? -  \| Ag Proud](https://feedsoft.ai/events/67183-what-looms-ahead-for-fuel-prices-in-2018-ag-proud.md) | -0.8% | -6.6% |
| DIESEL | 2024-12-12 | [Pricing and inputs: December 2024 \| AUSVEG](https://feedsoft.ai/events/27261-pricing-and-inputs-december-2024-ausveg.md) | +1.1% | +12.9% |

## Sources

- agproud.com: https://www.agproud.com/articles/64203-dairy-risk-management-calendar-october-2026

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