Milk prices will now be calculated differently across the Northeast

The US Agriculture Department has changed how it calculates the minimum price for milk in 11 regions, including the entire Northeast. This means dairy farmers will be paid more for certain types of milk, especially those used for cheese and yogurt.

For decades, the price farmers received for their milk depended on how it was used, with milk for drinking often fetching a higher minimum price than milk for cheese. This rule change shifts that balance, making milk used for processed products like cheese more valuable. This could encourage dairy farmers to produce milk better suited for processing, rather than just fluid milk.