Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) member cooperatives accepted 12 offers of export assistance from CWT that helped them capture sales contracts for 480,608 pounds (218 metric tons) of Cheddar cheese, 357,149 pounds (162 metric tons) of whole milk powder, and 480,608 pounds (218 metric tons) of cream cheese. These products are going to customers in Asia, the Middle East, and South America. The product will be delivered during the period from May through August 2019.
These contracts bring the year-to-date milk equivalent of CWT-assisted member cooperative export sales to 505.7 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis. The dairy product totals are 26.592 million pounds of American-type and Swiss cheeses, 3.962 million pounds of butter (82% milkfat), 1.940 million pounds of cream cheese and 23.437 million pounds of whole milk powder. The products are going to 23 countries in six regions.
Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program positively affects all U.S. dairy farmers and all dairy cooperatives by strengthening and maintaining the value of dairy products that directly impact their milk price. It does this by helping member cooperatives gain and maintain world market share for U.S dairy products. As a result, the program has significantly expanded the total demand for U.S. dairy products and the demand for U.S. farm milk that produces those products.
The amounts of dairy products and related milk volumes reflect current contracts for delivery, not completed export volumes. CWT pays export assistance to the bidders only when export and delivery of the product is verified by required documentation.
All dairy farmers and all dairy cooperatives should invest in CWT. Membership information is available on the CWT website, www.cwt.coop
Source: CWT
