Episode 101 – A market turn no one predicted

In this episode, Anne Lee sits down with Stu Davison of HighGround Dairy to unpack the sharp turnaround in global dairy markets and what is driving the recent surge in prices on the Global Dairy Trade platform. Drawing on his day-to-day market analysis, Stu explains why strong global milk production has not translated into weaker prices and how sentiment, geopolitics and supply chain disruption have shifted the tone of 2026.

Host:

• Anne Lee, Senior Journalist, Dairy Country

Guest:

• Stu Davison, HighGround Dairy

Bringing both global perspective and practical insight to the discussion, Stu breaks down the unusual strength in skim milk powder, the narrowing gap with whole milk powder and the role of protein demand in tightening supply. He outlines how Chinese buying patterns, trade tensions with Europe, Middle Eastern uncertainty and energy market volatility are layering complexity onto already interconnected markets. It is a clear-eyed conversation about volatility, risk management and why, in a year like this, budgeting for uncertainty may matter more than trying to outguess the market.

Find out more about the Better pastures together podcast from Barenbrug here: https://www.barenbrug.co.nz/podcasts