# December milk production growth slows, milk prices lower - Progressive Dairy | Ag Proud

> USDA's delayed December 2018 data show U.S. milk production rose 0.9% year over year to 217.5 billion pounds, with cow numbers down for a fourth straight month. Milk production per cow averaged 23,173 pounds in 2018, up 232 pounds from 2017. Milk prices were lower, and MPP-Dairy margin payments were set for insured producers at the $8/cwt level.

- Date: 2019-02-21 · published 2019-02-21T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: report · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/60591-december-milk-production-growth-slows-milk-prices-lower-progressive-dairy-ag
- Commodities: [Milk (Class III)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/MILK.md)

## Why it matters

Slowing milk output and a shrinking herd tighten supply over time, but lower milk prices in the near term reflect weak demand and surplus butterfat. This weighs on Class III milk values and feed demand from dairy herds.

## Read by commodity

- MILK: bearish ▼

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| MILK | 2024-01-05 | [December FMMO milk class prices lower \| Ag Proud](https://feedsoft.ai/events/5893-december-fmmo-milk-class-prices-lower-ag-proud.md) | -0.5% | +6.6% |
| MILK | 2021-02-24 | [Less acceleration: Milk production growth slowed in January \| Ag Proud](https://feedsoft.ai/events/48644-less-acceleration-milk-production-growth-slowed-in-january-ag-proud.md) | +0.1% | +3.8% |
| MILK | 2021-09-02 | [August Class III-IV milk: Prices lower, spread disappears - Progressive Dairy \| Ag Proud](https://feedsoft.ai/events/45076-august-class-iii-iv-milk-prices-lower-spread-disappears-progressive-dairy-ag.md) | -0.6% | +8.2% |
| MILK | 2026-07-11 | [Cheese production higher, milk prices lower - Dairy Star](https://feedsoft.ai/events/18337-cheese-production-higher-milk-prices-lower-dairy-star.md) | +0.4% | +7.1% |
| MILK | 2017-11-21 | [Milk production growth continues -  \| Ag Proud](https://feedsoft.ai/events/9917-milk-production-growth-continues-ag-proud.md) | -9.4% | -8.3% |

## Sources

- agproud.com: https://www.agproud.com/articles/38012-december-milk-production-growth-slows-milk-prices-lower

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