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What’s in Your Milk Check?
Prices down? Deductions up? How’s it hitting you?
We want to hear how the downturn in milk prices and changes to federal milk pricing formulas are affecting your milk checks. Your responses are confidential and will be reported only in aggregate.
Farm Information
1.
What Federal Order or unregulated region are you located in?
Northeast (FO 1)
Mideast (FO 33)
Appalachian (FO 5)
Southeast (FO 7)
Florida (FO 6)
Central (FO 32)
Upper Midwest (FO 30)
Southwest (FO 126)
Arizona (FO 131)
California (FO 51)
Northwest (FO 124)
Unregulated western states
Other (please specify)
2.
Herd size:
under 100 cows
100 to 500 cows
500 to 1000 cows
1000 to 2000 cows
2000 to 5000 cows
Other (please specify)
3.
How do you market your milk?
Cooperative
Independent handler
Other (please specify)
Milk Prices & Deductions
4.
Compared with May 2025, milk check, my most recent milk check is
down by more than $5.00/cwt.
down by $3.00 to $4.99/cwt
down by $2.00 to $3.99/cwt
down by $1.00 to $2.99/cwt
down by less than $1.00/cwt.
about the same
up by $1.00/cwt. or less
up by more than $1.00/cwt.
other
Other (please specify)
5.
What percentage of your milk check is reduced by deductions?
less than 5%
5 to 10%
11 to 15%
more than 15%
Other (please specify)
6.
Which deductions appear on your milk check? (check all that apply)
Hauling
Promotion/advertising
Testing fees
Quality discount
Cooperative dues
Reblends / balancing
export or trade promotion
stop charge
marketing adjustment
fat to protein ratio
Other (please specify)
7.
Which premiums appear on your milk check?
quality bonus
quantity or volume bonus
state or market over order premiums
production practice bonus
fat to protein ratio
Other (please specify)
Pricing Formula Awareness
8.
Are you aware of the 2025 FMMO formula changes (make allowances, “higher-of” Class I skim, ESL adjustment, etc.)?
Yes, very familiar
Somewhat familiar
Not at all
9.
Are you aware of the skim milk composition standard changes in milk class prices that begin in December?
Yes I'm aware, and I understand or am not concerned about how it will affect the way component value is shown on my milk check.
Yes I'm aware, and I want to understand how it will affect the way component value is shown on my milk check.
No, I am not aware at all, and I want to know more about it
Other (please specify)
10.
Which formula changes have impacted your milk check the most? (check all that apply)
Increased make allowances
Removal of barrel cheese
Switch to “higher of” Class III/IV skim
ESL/differential changes
Don't know
Other
Farmer Perspectives
11.
Over the past five months (since May 2025) my net milk income has:
Decreased 30% or more
Decreased 10–29%
Stayed about the same (±10%)
Increased
other
Other (please specify)
12.
Greatest threats to your profitability (check up to three):
Low component values
High deductions/fees
Formula changes
Input costs
Regulations
Price volatility
Ag workforce concerns
Other
13.
Do you currently use risk management tools (DMC, DRP, futures/options, contracts)?
Yes
No
14.
If the answer above is 'no', why not?
15.
In our advocacy by dairy farmers for dairy farmers, we want to hear your thoughts. Please describe in your words how current market conditions and formula changes are affecting your farm positively or negatively in the past three to five months.
