The National Milk Producers Federation Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) program has concluded after spending more than $51 million to cull 50,066 cows from the milk supply.

The program used an additional charge on raw milk receipts to buy out small farm operations and take other measures aimed at slowing the milk supply and boosting prices.

The program received bids from 736 herds offering 108,000 cows and more than two billion pounds of production. The average accepted herd in the buyout program was 139 cows with an average production of 18,000 lb. of milk per cow.

A strategic plan is being developed to determine how to proceed with the CWT program next year and on into the future. That plan was due to be completed last month. The third year of the program, in whatever shape it takes, begins July 1.