Wisconsin Ag Connection - State Cheese Production Rose Slightly During January

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State Cheese Production Rose Slightly During January
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 03/05/2008

Monthly cheese production numbers for the Dairy State were slightly higher than last year at this time. The USDA reports that Wisconsin's dairy plants produced 205.8 million pounds of cheese during the month of January--which was up 0.4 percent from last year, but 2.5 percent less than the month earlier.

Nationally, 810 million pounds of cheese was made, 1.9 percent below the same month in January 2007, and four percent less than December 2007 production totals.

Wisconsin's production of American cheese decreased as the state produced 68.1 million pounds, about 0.1 percent less than last year, but nearly one percent above last month's production. Cheddar output rose 1.1 percent compared to 2007 to total 54.8 million pounds, but was 0.2 percent lower than the month earlier. Italian production was at 96.5 million pounds, down three percent below last year, and 2.8 percent lower for the month. And Mozzarella in Wisconsin totaled 69.5 million pounds--down 2.6 percent from January 2007, and 4.8 percent less than December 2007.

Butter production was higher as total output rose by 7.3 percent from 2007 to total 42 million pounds. That was also 24 percent more than last month.

And Dry Whey production was recorded at 23.8 million pounds, which was 9.5 percent below last year, and 14.2 percent less than last month.

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