The Minnesota Department of Agriculture reports the state lost 58 total dairy farms in November alone. The number reflects a monthly decline in dairy permits that has not happened since 2007. The Minnesota Milk Producers Association says the high exit rate is worrying, not because of the assumed “lost herds” but because the number serves as an indication of what dairy farmers think about the future.

Dairy producers faced an extremely tough 2023 with an annual average margin of $7 per hundredweight, the lowest in more than a decade. Risk management programs such as Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) and Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP) remain critical for dairy producers.

Read more on Minnesota dairy challenges here and read more about DRP here.