The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released its latest Milk Production report, providing insights into the nation’s dairy output for the end of 2024. The document highlights significant revisions and trends in milk production across the 24 major dairy-producing states. Notably, November's production was revised upwards, while December saw a slight decline compared to the previous year. Oregon experienced the most substantial percentage drop in production, while Texas showed the highest increase. Additionally, milk production per cow decreased for the second consecutive month.
Milk Production Trends Across Major Dairy States
In the waning days of 2024, the USDA adjusted the November milk production figure for the 24 leading dairy states to 17.3 billion pounds, marking an upward revision from the initial estimate of 17.2 billion pounds. This adjustment indicated only a modest 0.3% decrease from the same period in 2023. The agency noted that this revision represented an increase of 89 million pounds or 0.5% from the preliminary estimate.
Turning to December, the overall milk production stood at 18.0 billion pounds, reflecting a 0.4% decline compared to December 2023. Among these states, Oregon faced the steepest percentage reduction, with production dropping from 207 million pounds in December 2023 to 190 million pounds in December 2024—a decrease of 8.2%. California, the largest producer of milk in the country, also witnessed a notable dip, with production falling to 3.213 billion pounds, down 6.8% from the previous year.
Conversely, Texas emerged as the standout performer, recording a 7.5% increase in milk production. In December 2024, Texas produced 1.482 billion pounds of milk, up from 1.378 billion pounds in December 2023.
Moreover, milk production per cow continued to trend downward for the second consecutive month. In December 2024, the average production per cow stood at 2,020 pounds, a decrease of 11 pounds compared to the same month in 2023. The revised November figure was 1,936 pounds, down from 1,947 pounds in November 2023. Despite this, the total number of dairy cows in these top 24 states increased by 17,000 head to reach 8.91 million.
From a journalistic perspective, this report underscores the challenges facing the dairy industry, particularly in key producing states like California and Oregon. The decline in milk production per cow suggests potential issues with feed quality, climate conditions, or management practices. On the other hand, the positive performance in Texas indicates that some regions are adapting more effectively to these challenges. As the industry continues to evolve, it will be crucial to monitor how producers respond to these shifts and what strategies they adopt to maintain productivity and profitability.
In a significant agricultural transaction, Farmland Partners Inc. recently transferred 41,554 acres of farmland across 46 farms to Farmland Reserve, Inc., an entity associated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This sale, valued at $289 million, encompasses properties in eight states and primarily involves grain, soybean, and cotton farms. Despite concerns about the impact on local farmers, executives assure that this transfer will not significantly alter local farming operations. Additionally, federal regulations restricted the sale structure, leading to a single large transaction rather than multiple smaller ones.
The Evolution of Farmland Ownership
This landmark deal signifies a shift in farmland ownership from one long-term investor to another. Farmland Partners, which has owned many of these tracts for nearly a decade, chose Farmland Reserve due to its reputation as a responsible land steward. The transition aims to maintain continuity for existing farmer tenants while introducing a new, stable investor into the agricultural landscape.
The sale reflects a broader trend in the agricultural sector where farmland ownership increasingly shifts between institutional investors. Farmland Reserve's commitment to retaining current tenants ensures operational stability. Paul Pittman, executive chairman of Farmland Partners, emphasized that this sale is not a quick flip but a strategic move to entrust the land to a reliable long-term owner. He noted that Farmland Reserve intends to hold the land for decades, potentially up to 50 years, thereby providing long-term security for tenant farmers.
Navigating Regulatory and Economic Challenges
The sale process was influenced by federal regulations and economic considerations. As a real estate investment trust (REIT), Farmland Partners must adhere to tax code IRC § 1033, which limits them to selling no more than seven properties annually. This constraint necessitated bundling the 46 farms into a single transaction. While some individual farmers were offered the right of first refusal, none elected to purchase the land.
Economically, the sale price of $6,954.81 per acre aligns closely with market values, especially considering the varying state-specific valuations. Factors such as interest rates, net farm income, commodity prices, and limited land supply continue to influence farmland values. Experts like Rabail Chandio from Iowa State University suggest that while investor purchases do occur, they are not frequent enough to significantly impact overall farmland values. Instead, broader economic trends and consistent demand for agricultural land drive value appreciation.
The creator of Pixelfed, Loops, and Sup, three open-source alternatives to Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp, is now seeking financial support on Kickstarter for the continued development of these applications. These apps are part of the expanding decentralized social web, known as the fediverse, which has seen a surge in popularity following significant changes in centralized platforms like Twitter. As users increasingly seek decentralized options, the developer aims to empower communities with control over their digital interactions. Despite challenges, the project has already garnered substantial support, surpassing its initial funding goal.
Pioneering Decentralized Social Networks
The rise of decentralized social media platforms has been fueled by a growing dissatisfaction with centralized services. Daniel Supernault, the Canadian developer behind Pixelfed, Loops, and Sup, is at the forefront of this movement. His projects aim to provide robust, community-driven alternatives that prioritize user control and privacy. By leveraging the ActivityPub protocol, these apps integrate seamlessly into the broader fediverse, offering users a more democratic and secure online experience.
Supernault's vision extends beyond just creating alternative platforms. He envisions his apps becoming integral parts of a billion-person network within the fediverse. While this ambitious goal remains distant, significant milestones have been achieved. For instance, Pixelfed recently launched its 1.0 mobile app, and Loops is undergoing alpha testing. Sup, although not yet released, promises exciting features for Kickstarter backers. This campaign marks Supernault’s first attempt at crowdfunding, aiming to raise $1 million or more to hire a dedicated team and enhance the apps' capabilities.
Empowering Developers and Users Alike
To support the growth and sustainability of the fediverse, Supernault has introduced PubKit, a comprehensive toolkit for developers. PubKit offers interactive tools and testing frameworks, enabling developers to simulate popular activities, debug in real-time, and verify implementations. This initiative underscores Supernault’s commitment to fostering a thriving developer community within the decentralized web.
The funds raised through Kickstarter will also bolster the infrastructure supporting these platforms. With over 200,000 users on the main Pixelfed instance, there is a pressing need to expand storage, CDNs, and compute power. Additionally, the funds will allow Supernault to dedicate more time to development while enhancing moderation, security, and privacy measures. A key focus is introducing end-to-end encryption to further protect users’ data. Ultimately, this campaign seeks to benefit the broader Pixelfed Foundation, aiming to register it as a non-profit organization and grow its team beyond volunteers. Future plans include developing a blogging app to rival platforms like Tumblr or LiveJournal, ensuring the fediverse remains a vibrant and inclusive space for all.