Continuing the discussion on global milk price systems, Neil Lane explains further the difference between true protein and crude protein. The protein measurement method represents small but none-the-less important point of difference in milk price determination and the value of milk in its many and various applications.

There is a saying that you should never let the facts get in the way of a good story. That's not a sentiment that Dr Hauser takes to kindly to, especially when people are free and fast with information on the Australian dairy industry. This week he sets the record straight on some recent comments from US dairy experts.

In a return to form, Dr Hauser provides a perspective on current global dairy commodity prices and explores the unknown future of the market in 2011.

If you find the many and various milk price units around the planet confusing then this is the article for you.  Neil Lane provides a short explanation of how milk is priced by the major global dairy trading nations.

With the prospect of better returns in the 10/11 season,  Neil Lane is encouraging farmers to consider putting the spare cash into one of their more profitable investments - debt reduction.

It is almost exactly a year since we published our last blog on the New Zealand fertiliser industry ("Fertiliser prices on the nose" Dr Jon Hauser, Xcheque.com, 9 Dec 2009). Prompted by a new round of price adjustments ("Ballance adjusts its fertiliser prices", Radio New Zealand, 8 Dec 2010), we thought it was time for an update.

The latest US milk production data shows an increase of 2.9% when compared with October 09. We have been anxiously watching milk production trends with the general view that excessive production out of the US, Europe and Oceania will kill the commodity price recovery that we have seen in the past 6 months. At first glance the latest figures did nothing to allay our fears but in the true tradition of Xcheque.com Dr Hauser has turned conventional wisdom on its head.

A deeper analysis of the latest data shows that milk production has moved back towards the long term trend. That is good news for global export prices (if you are a farmer and dairy processor). It may well be that we are seeing the first signs that the brakes are being applied.