MD_DA230 Fluid Milk and Cream - Central U.S. Report 38 - Released on September 21, 2023 In regard to cow comfort, weather has dramatically improved throughout the region in the past three weeks. Texas is receiving rainfall and cooler temperatures, and Upper Midwestern and Northern Plains contacts have said fall-like weather has been the recent norm, particularly cooler nights and mornings. Despite this, milk availability for processors has not rallied in kind. Class I pulls are a large factor at play in this. Bottlers are refilling their recently depleted pipelines as schools are in full-on purchasing status. Cheesemakers are not receiving more milk offers. In fact, some said they were interested in adding some milk to their vats, but finding those spot loads did not happen this week despite a willingness to pay over the Class III price. Spot milk prices ranged from $.50 to $1.50 over Class III, while last year's price range during week 38 was Class III to $1 over. Condensed skim availability has been steady to lighter for the latter half of the summer. Cream availability ranged somewhat widely from early week to mid/late week. Butter makers relayed finding some spot loads below the 1.30 multiple mark as they oscillate between churning and micro-fixing. That said, cream moving into Classes II and III is somewhat hearty, as seasonal retail favorites are near their peak production season. Ice cream manufacturers' cream needs have ebbed from August, as was expected. Near-term cream availability remains unclear. Some contacts expect more to come online with higher milk and milkfat output at the farm level, but strong processing of whips, cream cheese, and seasonal dips are clearly pulling from the overall pool. Silage corn cutting is progressing, and some improvements to milk output rates are expected in the next four to six weeks. Price Range - Class III Milk; $/CWT; Spot Basis: .50 - 1.50 Trade Activity: Slow Midwestern U.S., F.O.B. Cream Price Range - All Classes; $/LB Butterfat: 3.3815 - 3.8178 Multiples Range - All Classes: 1.2400 - 1.4000 Price Range - Class II; $/LB Butterfat: 3.5451 - 3.8178 Multiples Range - Class II: 1.3000 - 1.4000 Information for the period September 18 - 22, 2023, issued weekly Published by: Dairy Market News - Madison, WI ISRAEL WEBER, 608-422-8601 Email: israel.weber@usda.gov Additional Dairy Market News Information: Dairy Market News (DMN) by Phone: (608)422-8602 DMN Website: https://www.ams.usda.gov/market-news/dairy DMN MARS (My Market News): https://mymarketnews.ams.usda.gov