Industry groups reinvent milk products to drive buyers

Will Loux says things have been up-and-down in the dairy industry over the last several years. Right now, however, he says the state of the dairy industry looks positive.

“On a national level things look OK,” says Loux, a Pella, Iowa, native and senior vice president for global economic affairs with the National Milk Producers Federation.

“Feed costs are down and milk prices have risen. We are still seeing some softness on the butter side of the industry, but for the most part things are looking positive.”

He says even though feed costs are down, other production costs are up. That includes the cost required for any sort of herd expansion. Loux says demand for milk products is growing.

On the export side, he says global demand for dairy products is strong. He says export markets have evolved over the last few years since the COVID-19 pandemic. Cheese exports are very strong, as are the exports of whey and milk proteins.

“The United States has invested heavily in cheese manufacturing over the last few years,” Loux says. “We are the biggest manufacturer of cheese and whey in the world.”