MD_DA830 DA MD DA830 Cheese - Midwest MADISON, WI. July 8, 2009 (REPORT 27) MIDWEST CHEESE: The cheese market is steady at best. Offerings of commodity type cheese exceeds the mostly fill-in type interest. With the cheese volume currently in the pipeline, it is likely to take more than a couple weeks to clear the current cheese supply sufficiently for cheese prices to recover. Bulk buyers continue to receive calls from producers with product to move. Little interest is noted for adding more product to aging programs. While a few packagers need overtime to fill orders, generally less is needed. However, some packaging/process lines may need overtime this week to compensate for the recent 3 to 4 day holiday weekend. Some companies have cut back on their committed bulk cheese volumes due to sluggish demand. Lead time on specialty orders are abbreviated to regular length. Milk and cheese production have yet to decline sufficiently to tighten up supplies. However, less surplus milk is available to plant operators, resulting in slight declines in cheese output and reductions in plant schedules. Cheese yields wilted in the summer heat of a few weeks ago and, unlike fluid volumes, have stayed down. WISCONSIN WHOLESALE SELLING PRICES: DELIVERED, DOLLARS PER POUND (1000 - 5000 POUNDS MIXED LOTS) Process American 5# Loaf : 1.4575-1.6100 Brick And/Or Muenster 5# : 1.6925-1.7300 Cheddar 40# Block : 1.5600-2.5650 Monterey Jack 10# : 1.6400-2.5650 Blue 5# : 1.9850-2.4300 Mozzarella 5 - 6# (Low Moisture, Part Skim): 1.5300-2.6650 Grade A Swiss Cuts 6 - 9# : 2.1700-3.3300 1300c George Koerner 608-250-3205