News

U.S. cheese, butter production up on year

The USDA says January cheese production was 1.040 billion pounds, up 3.7% on the year. That’s down from December, but still the fourth month in a row with a total of more than a billion pounds as producers shrug off slow export demand and record supplies, focusing on relatively consistent domestic demand. Production of Italian type cheese jumped 3.8% to 451.890 million pounds while American cheese production was 3% higher at 412.887 million pounds. Butter production was 177.761 million pounds, up 1.2% from a year ago as churners prepare for spring holidays.

Nonfat dry milk for human consumption came out at 155.039 million pounds, up 13.1% on the year, and skim milk powders totaled 50.540 million, down 1.4%. All dry whey production was pegged at 82.220 million pounds, 1.3% lower, with lactose for human and animal consumption at 92.178 million pounds, 9% higher, and whey protein concentrate at 40.048 million pounds, up 2.6%.

Hard, regular ice cream was reported at 56.628 million gallons, a decline of 0.8%, and lowfat totaled 29.494 million gallons, an increase of 14.7%. Hard sherbet production in January was 3.135 million gallons, a gain of 27.4%, and frozen yogurt totaled 4.236 million gallons, 2.7% higher.