Dairy product output fell in February compared to January but remained higher than in February of previous year. The USDA reports that total cheese production was 1.13 billion pounds, up 3% from a year ago but down 5.6% from the prior month. American-style cheese output was down from the previous month and year, totaling 438 million pounds. Italian-type cheeses reached 479 million pounds, a 4.4% increase over last year but a 6.2% decrease from January data. In February, manufacturers produced over 373 million pounds of mozzarella, 304 million pounds of cheddar, and 132 million pounds of other American-style cheeses. Butter output reached 198 million pounds, down 9% from January but 5.6% higher than February 2023. According to the USDA, nonfat dry milk output declined 19.3% from February 2023. Skim milk powder production was down 2.6% from the previous year, totaling 36.2 million pounds. Whey protein concentrate output increased by 4.2% to 38.7 million pounds compared to the previous year. Frozen items, including ice cream, sherbet, and frozen yogurt, all reported lower February output than the previous year, with sherbet production down 32.7%.
