The minimum price of milk is the price that dairy processors must pay for milk used to produce dairy products.

National commodity prices, primarily Grade AA butter, cheddar cheese, nonfat dry milk, and dry whey are significant factors in determining the minimum milk price.

Compared to last month, the national commodity prices for western dry whey and nonfat dry milk increased, while cheddar cheese and Grade AA butter decreased.

CDFA reports:

• whole milk decreased four and three tenths cents per gallon
• reduced fat milk decreased four and six tenths cents per gallon
• lowfat milk decreased four and nine tenths cents per gallon
• skim milk decreased four and one tenth of a cent per gallon

The Dairy Marketing and Milk Pooling Branches are involved with the economic and fiscal regulation and oversight of the dairy industry.

Activities and responsibilities of the Dairy Marketing Branch include oversight of the production and marketing of milk and dairy products which includes the regulation of minimum milk farm prices and dairy trade practices in the marketplace.

Activities and responsibilities of the Milk Pooling Branch include the administration of the Milk Pooling Act which provides standards for distributing monthly statewide market milk revenues to all California dairy producers.

The Branch also administers the Milk Producers Security Trust Fund which provides a resolution for defaulted payments to dairy farmers from milk buyers.