The Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) export assistance program in 2015 continues to protect export market share as well as expand markets for U.S. dairy products. The program continued to focus on dairy products that most directly impact producers’ revenue stream – American-type cheeses and butter containing 82 percent butterfat.
In the first three months of 2015, CWT members submitted 384 total requests for export assistance – 285 for cheese and 99 for butter. Of those requests, CWT provided member cooperatives with assistance on 138 – 83 cheese and 55 butter.
The result is sales contracts for 23.9 million pounds of Cheddar, Gouda and Monterey Jack cheese and 24.7 million pounds of butter to be delivered through September 2015.
Asia was again the primary destination for CWT-assisted cheese exports, accounting for 61 percent of cheese exports with the Middle East next at 21 percent. Japan accounted for 58 percent of the cheese sales in Asia. Of the total cheese sales, 81 percent were Cheddar cheese, 7 percent were Monterey Jack and 12 percent were Gouda cheese.
The Middle East continued to account for the majority of first-quarter butter export sales at 64 percent, with 22 percent going to North Africa. Saudi Arabia will receive the majority (83 percent) of the region’s assisted sales of butter.
Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) provided the content on this page. CWT was designed by America’s dairy farmers to benefit all U.S. dairy farmers. It is a voluntary, producer-funded program developed by National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) to strengthen and stabilize producer prices. Participating producers contribute four cents per hundredweight of milk produced to fund the program. For membership information go to the website.
