MD_DA431 Butter - Central U.S. Report 38 - Released on September 20, 2023 Butter production remains a mixture of micro-fixing and churning in the region. Butter plant contacts say cream availability is not ample, but not out of reach, either. There are still some cream spot loads available for churning at the mid- to late-week mark, according to contacts. Butter demand ranges from strong to meeting seasonal expectations. Retail butter customers are showing mixed interest. As butter market prices continue to push higher, there are still some contacts who suggest $3/lb butter prices are a potentiality. Even at current prices, moving toward the mid $2.80s, customers are expected to take a more conservative buying approach. That said, regional butter loads are being spoken for by a steadily active food service market, despite retail channels being up and down. Prices for: Central U.S., All First Sales, F.O.B., Grade AA, Conventional, and Edible Butter Bulk Basis Pricing - 80% Butterfat $/LB: +0.0500 - +0.0800 Information for the period September 18 - 22, 2023, issued weekly Secondary Sourced Information: This week a cooperative export assistance program accepted requests for export assistance on contracts to sell 99,000 pounds (45 metric tons) of butter (82 percent milk fat). So far this year, the program has assisted member cooperatives who have contracts to sell 908,000 pounds of butter in export markets. Published by: Dairy Market News - Madison, WI ISABEL MCNEILL, 608-422-8594 Email: Isabel.McNeill@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