Milk Production Up Over Last Year and National FFA Convention

**Milk production in the 24 major dairy states during September totaled 17.5 billion pounds, up slightly from a year ago.

August revised production, at 18.1 billion pounds, was 0.7% below August 2022.

That revision represented a decrease of 73 million pounds or 0.4% from last month’s preliminary estimate.

Production per cow averaged 1,960 pounds for September, three pounds above a year earlier.

**Over 65,000 FFA members and supporters from across the country are celebrating agriculture and ag education this week at the 96th National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis.

The time-honored tradition runs through Saturday with FFA members from the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands on hand.

The general sessions is happening at Lucas Oil Stadium where Expo attendees can explore various career pathways in agriculture and attend leadership workshops.

**Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says USDA is providing $2.3 billion to help American producers maintain and develop markets for their commodities.

Some of the funds will use U.S. commodities to boost international food aid.

A request for the funding initially came from the Senate Ag

Committee’s leadership, so USDA will be utilizing funds from the Commodity Credit Corporation to address challenges related to trade and food insecurity impacting U.S. farmers and the international community.