Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) member cooperatives accepted thirteen offers of export assistance from CWT that helped them capture sales contracts for 1.166 million pounds (529 metric tons) of Cheddar, Gouda, and Monterey Jack cheese, 262,350 pounds (119 metric tons) of butter, and 330,693 pounds (150 metric tons) of whole milk powder. The product is going to customers in Asia, North Africa, the Middle East, and South America. It will be delivered from September 2020 through February 2021.
CWT-assisted member cooperative export sales contracts for 2020 total 25.565 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 7.249 million pounds of butter (82% milkfat), 1.982 million pounds of anhydrous milkfat, 5.023 million pounds of cream cheese and 36.680 million pounds of whole milk powder. The product is going to 29 countries in seven regions. These sales are the equivalent of 760 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.
Assisting CWT members in moving dairy products overseas through the Export Assistance program is critical during the challenging times U.S. dairy farmers and cooperatives are facing. The Export Assistance program helps to strengthen and maintain the value of dairy products that directly impact producers’ milk price. The program is helping member cooperatives grow and maintain world market share for U.S dairy products and is a significant factor in maintaining the total demand for U.S. dairy products and the demand for U.S. farm milk.
Dairy product and related milk volume amounts reflect current contracts for delivery, not completed export volumes. CWT pays export assistance to bidders only when export and delivery of the product is verified by required documentation.
All dairy farmers and dairy cooperatives should invest in CWT. Membership information is available on the CWT website.
