Dairy Exports Up

Dairy Exports Up

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
Farm products exported from Idaho had a total value of $582 million from January to June, according to the Idaho State Department of Agriculture. Helping to lead the way, is the dairy industry with sales of dairy products abroad totalling$213 million during the first half of 2014. that's a nice turn of events, as described by Bob Naerbout, Executive Director of the Idaho Dairyman's Association: "Right now I think the best thing we can say in the exports as a good sign is strong milk prices and what butter is doing is that the Idaho dairy industry and the dairy industry as a whole is very strong right now due to the export market. Obviously in Idaho we produce a lot more product and what can be consumed so what we will call domestic exports which means exports to other states plus international exports are extremely important to the health of the industry. We have been in our doldrums in the dairy industry in the last few years. Is this a promising sign of recovery for the industry in general? The strong prices that we have seen the past six months are an indication that the industry is recovering. When prices are this strong and margins are strong you anticipate dairymen pushing out more milk than what they are currently doing and we are increasing production but only at a 2 to 3% clip and that is also a good sign. A good supply - demand balance is what helps prices and to get that unbalanced is a time that creates weaker prices if we oversupplied for the market. I think for the short term the future is very bright.
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