MD_DA851

     Cheese Highlights

     Report 38 - Released on September 22, 2023

     Milk available for cheesemaking is somewhat snug in the Northeast and Midwest, as Class I
     processors continue to pull on volumes. Some cheesemakers in the Midwest say they have room
     for more milk, but spot loads are unavailable, and spot loads that are being traded in the
     region are at above-Class prices. In the West, cheesemakers say milk volumes are in good
     balance with production, though some processors are unable to obtain additional spot loads
     of milk to run desired production schedules. Cheesemakers in the Northeast say limited milk
     availability and labor obstacles are limiting their production schedules. Some Midwest
     cheesemakers are scheduling more downtime weekly due to recent declines in milk
     availability. In the Midwest, cheese demand varies. Contacts report seasonally busy curd
     sales, while barrel demand is steady to busier. Retail and food service demands for cheese
     in the West are strong to steady, but export demand is more moderate. Contacts in the
     Northeast note the strongest demand for cheddar among American-type cheeses. Mozzarella
     cheese is in high demand in the Northeast due to steady food service demand.

     Information for the period September 18 - 22, 2023, issued weekly

     Secondary Sourced Information:

     CME: Barrels closed at $1.6000 and 40# blocks at $1.7800. The weekly average for barrels is
     $1.6310 (-0.1855) and blocks, $1.8220 (-0.0790).

     Published by:
     Dairy Market News - Madison, WI
     ROMAN CARAMAN, 608-422-8593
     Email: roman.caraman@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