# 2018 milk price expected to average $1 less than 2017

> Wisconsin dairy economist Bob Cropp expects the Class III milk price to average in the $14s in the first half of 2018. The Class III price peaked at $16.88 in November 2017 and fell to $15.45 in December. USDA forecasts US milk production up 1.7% in 2018, and the article says strong domestic sales and exports are needed to support prices.

- Date: 2018-01-03 · published 2018-01-03T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: report · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/66986-2018-milk-price-expected-to-average-1-less-than-2017
- Commodities: [Milk (Class III)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/MILK.md)

## Why it matters

Expected strong milk output and falling Class III prices point to bearish dairy markets and weaker dairy farm margins through early 2018. Lower milk returns may restrain dairy herd feed purchases.

## Read by commodity

- MILK: bearish ▼

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| MILK | 2023-01-30 | [All Milk Prices Expected To Drop In 2023](https://feedsoft.ai/events/5878-all-milk-prices-expected-to-drop-in-2023.md) | -8.0% | -8.4% |
| MILK | 2017-11-29 | [Exports key to higher milk prices in 2018](https://feedsoft.ai/events/67977-exports-key-to-higher-milk-prices-in-2018.md) | -8.3% | -8.3% |
| MILK | 2020-12-01 | [Milk prices to be lower, less volatile in 2021](https://feedsoft.ai/events/4224-milk-prices-to-be-lower-less-volatile-in-2021.md) | -33.9% | -32.3% |
| MILK | 2023-01-26 | [Milk price forecast for 2023 much lower than 2022 prices](https://feedsoft.ai/events/37781-milk-price-forecast-for-2023-much-lower-than-2022-prices.md) | -7.9% | -7.9% |
| MILK | 2024-10-21 | [Dairy prices expected to remain high entering 2025 \| Dairy Processing](https://feedsoft.ai/events/27860-dairy-prices-expected-to-remain-high-entering-2025-dairy-processing.md) | -0.1% | -12.5% |

## Sources

- farmprogress.com: https://www.farmprogress.com/dairy-cattle/2018-milk-price-expected-to-average-1-less-than-2017

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