As expected, Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) regional uniform milk prices dropped in April but to a smaller degree than what was observed in the month prior.

As expected, Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) regional uniform milk prices dropped in April but to a smaller degree than what was observed in the month prior.
Administrators of the 11 FMMOs reported April prices and pooling data May 11-14. Here’s Progressive Dairy’s monthly review of the numbers to provide some additional transparency to your milk check.
Statistically, uniform milk prices dropped month over month in April for all 11 regional FMMOs (Table 1), with the average uniform milk price across all FMMOs falling 85 cents from March prices.
Compared to March, April base producer price differentials (PPDs) increased in the seven applicable FMMOs (Table 1). PPDs have zone differentials, meaning some PPDs could be negative, and milk handlers may also apply PPDs and other “market adjustment factors” differently on your milk check.
Milk prices fell again for April:
Based on Progressive Dairy calculations, using the Class I mover calculated under the “higher-of” formula would have resulted in an April Class I base price of about $19.24 per cwt, 33 cents less than the actual April price determined using the “average-of plus 74 cents” formula.
The change in the formula back to higher-of calculations – along with zone differentials adjustments and other changes – is included in the FMMO changes that will be implemented June 1.
The gap between April 2025 Class III and Class IV milk prices was 44 cents with Class IV on top, giving incentives for depooling of Class IV milk and affecting FMMO pooling.
The value of butterfat remained relatively unchanged in April at $2.64 per pound, a slim 2-cent improvement from March. The value of milk protein settled at $2.16 per pound, falling 30 cents from the month prior.
Compared to March, the April value of nonfat solids was 99 cents per pound, down 5 cents. Other solids stumbled 5 cents to 31 cents per pound.
Influencing statistical uniform prices “at test,” April’s average butterfat and protein tests in pooled milk were 99 cents to $1.18 per cwt lower compared to March’s in the FMMO’s providing preliminary data. Somatic cell counts in the few FMMOs reporting monthly averages were higher from March to April.
The USDA releases preliminary April milk production estimates May 21. Pooled milk volumes in Classes I, II and IV were down from the previous month, with Class III being the sole class to post a gain on a milk volume basis (Table 2).
The total milk volume pooled through FMMOs in April was estimated at 14.52 billion pounds, 285 million pounds less than in March.
April Class I pooling was down about 43 million pounds from March, representing about 23% of total milk pooled. Class II and Class IV pooling was also down from the previous month at about 136 million pounds and 684 million pounds, respectively. At approximately 1.41 billion pounds, Class II represented about 9.6% of the total pool. Class IV milk at 2.67 billion pounds represented about 18.4% of the total pooled milk.
At about 7.16 billion pounds, Class III was up approximately 602 million pounds from March and represented 49.3% of the total pool, continuing the upward trend apparent since February.
May uniform milk prices and pooling totals will be announced June 11-14. Based on FMMO advanced prices and current futures prices, monthly uniform prices will once again be lower.
Based on Progressive Dairy calculations, using the Class I mover calculated under the higher-of formula would have resulted in a May Class I base price of about $17.96 per cwt, 31 cents lower than the actual May price determined using the average-of plus 74 cents formula.
If Class III-IV futures prices hold, the May Class III-IV milk price gap will be 38 cents, adding incentives for Class III depooling.
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