Industry news

Yesterday's auction (16 May) on the New Zealand trading platform GlobalDairyTrade (GDT) saw the fifth consecutive price increase. The overall index, which covers a range of different dairy products and contract periods, rose by 3.2 per cent (%). With the exception of casein, prices for all other traded dairy products trended noticeably upwards. Source: www.agrarheute.com

Over the next few weeks, wooden boards next to flowering meadows will draw attention to the valuable work of local hay milk farmers. But every individual can also promote biodiversity. Haymilk is vital for humans, animals and nature" - around the time of Biodiversity Day on 22 May, boards with this inscription will be displayed next to flowering meadows belonging to local haymilk farmers. They want to draw attention to their valuable work for biodiversity on Austria's meadows, pastures and mountain pastures. source: www.bauernzeitung.at

Developments on the dairy market are favourable for farmers. Producer prices are expected to continue to rise. The supply of important dairy products such as butter and cheese is relatively scarce, while demand is increasing. "Our dairy farmers have justified hopes that producer prices will continue to rise," says Landvolk Vice President Albert Schulte to Brinke in the Landvolk press service. He also points to the higher price agreements for fresh products with the large food retail companies, in which the farmers would have to participate through higher prices paid out by the dairies. Source: www.agrarheute.com

Some farmers in Dobbiaco and San Candido are switching to organic milk. This puts the Drei Zinnen dairy under pressure: if it does not start its own organic line, the farmers will deliver to Sterzing. source: www.tageszeitung.it

Rodeneck - The International Grassland and Livestock Day 2017 took place yesterday in Rodeneck. Around 6,000 visitors from all over the Alps met in the South Tyrolean Eisack Valley to find out about and exchange information on the latest grassland technology. source: www.suedtirolnews.it

The mowing technology used has a decisive influence on the maintenance of species-rich meadow types. Modern roundabout mowers with rotary technology have largely replaced the cutter bar cutting technique, as they require less maintenance and are often more powerful. From a nature conservation and species protection perspective, the cutter bar should be used for maintenance wherever possible. This more gentle use of equipment is additionally remunerated via the LPR. source: www.lev-ravensburg.de

Last Wednesday, the Swiss Association for Farm Improvements in Mountain Agriculture held its General Assembly. Fewer and fewer people are working in mountain farming and ever larger areas are being farmed per farm manager. Structural change has also been underway in the Alpine regions for years. Powerful and efficient mountain mechanisation is therefore becoming increasingly important. However, as these specialised machines for mountain farms are only produced in small quantities, they are correspondingly expensive and difficult to finance for economically weaker farms. This is where the Swiss Association for Operational Improvements in Mountain Farming (SVVB) can provide support. Source: www.bauernzeitung.ch

Bolzano - South Tyrol's dairy industry is expecting a glut of organic milk from Germany in 2018 - and has therefore recently started using the "hay milk" label for its fresh milk. According to a report in Tagblatt Dolomiten, the chairman of the South Tyrolean Dairy Association, Joachim Reinalter, emphasises that South Tyrol must stand out if it is not to drown in the organic milk lake. The Drei Zinnen dairy led the way several years ago, and in recent weeks the large dairy farms in South Tyrol have followed suit. "We as Bergmilch Südtirol started in March," explains Reinalter, who is also the chairman of Bergmilch Südtirol. Source: www.suedtirolnews.it

The "Bee-friendly agriculture" resource project was launched in the canton of Aargau this year. With 250 participating farms, expectations were exceeded. Among other things, farmers are being sensitised to the influence of pesticides and mowing techniques. source: www.schweizerbauer.ch

Spot market prices for raw milk traded between dairies rose sharply at the end of May. These are the reasons. In Germany, spot market prices stood at 37.0 cents at the end of May. This is around 7 cents higher than at the beginning of May, as market expert Olaf Zinke from agrarmanager reports. In addition, the level on the spot market is currently around 4.4 cents higher than the last milk price officially reported by the BLE in March 2017, which was 33.06 cents for milk with a natural fat content and 32.63 cents for milk with 4.0 fat and 3.4% protein. Source: www.agrarheute.com

Germany's largest dairy company Deutsches Milchkontor (DMK) increases milk prices for May and June. Deutsches Milchkontor (DMK) is increasing its milk prices. The Board of Directors has decided on higher payment prices for dairy farmers, the dairy announced in Bremen on Wednesday. The milk price for May will be increased from 32 cents to 33 cents per kilogramme, and a further increase to 34 cents is planned for June. Source: www.agrarheute.com

After falling in April, the commodity value of milk rose again in May. It rose by 3.4 cents per litre. The price of butter also rose sharply. According to calculations by the ife Institute, the Kiel commodity value of milk rose by 3.4 cents to 33.2 cents per litre in May. In April, the commodity value for farm-gate milk was significantly lower at 29.8 cents/kg. In the two previous months, the valuation had fallen twice by 1.5 cents. source: www.agrarheute.com