Milk Forecasting Forum discuss the challenges facing farmers in the 2024/25 season

Summary

The AHDB Milk Forecasting Forum (MFF) met on the 18 September to discuss the factors impacting on future GB milk production.

The main points of conversation were focused around:

• Recent trends in herd size and milk yields. In particular, the discussions focussed on how farmers may adjust their herds and management strategies to maximise returns. Labour issue, higher cost of borrowing and volatility in feed cost remain cause of concern
• The effect of herd size is regional, with some regions having to comply with tighter NVZ rules, the decline in herd size could be more
• With poor quality silage this year, going forward, farmers will have to spend more on high protein feed to support yields
• Feed costs could increase if soy is replaced following the deforestation regulations
• Increasing worry from farmers regarding government support coming through
• Impact of bluetongue minimal as of now and could be felt next year
• What will be the impact of decline in youngstock numbers on long-term rate of decline in milking herd
• How recent recovery in milk prices could impact production during the autumn
• Lot of uncertainty persists around weather, input cost, environmental rules and government support
• The potential longer-term impact of environmental legislation on herd size and structure and inflation on input costs

We've released a pack of the information discussed at the forum, which you can download from the Milk Forecasting Forum webpage

We will be updating our production forecast later this month (September 2024). In the meantime, our June forecast update can be found below.

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