Dairy Products Prices ISSN: 1949-0380 Released March 30, 2012, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Dairy Products Prices Highlights Butter prices received for 25 kilogram and 68 pound boxes meeting United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Grade AA standards averaged $1.45 per pound for the week ending March 24, 2012. The United States (US) price per pound increased 0.9 cent from the previous week. Cheddar Cheese prices received for US 40 pound blocks averaged $1.51 per pound for the week ending March 24, 2012. The price per pound increased 1.8 cents from the previous week. The price for US 500 pound barrels adjusted to 38 percent moisture averaged $1.55 per pound, up 4.9 cents from the previous week. Dry Whey prices received for bag, tote, and tanker sales meeting USDA Extra Grade standards averaged 61.1 cents per pound for the week ending March 24, 2012. The US price per pound increased 0.5 cent from the previous week. Nonfat Dry Milk prices received for bag, tote, and tanker sales meeting USDA Extra Grade or United States Public Health Service (USPHS) Grade A standards averaged $1.30 per pound for the week ending March 24, 2012. The US price per pound decreased 2.2 cents from the previous week. Butter Prices and Sales - United States: February 25, 2012-March 24, 2012 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week ending Region :-------------------------------------------------------------------------- : February 25, : March 3, : March 10, : March 17, : March 24, : 2012 : 2012 : 2012 : 2012 : 2012 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : dollars per pound Price weighted by sales : United States ................: 1.4192 1.4234 1.4150 1.4425 1.4519 : : pounds Sales : United States ................: 5,515,839 6,205,309 4,109,948 4,876,999 6,594,422 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 40 Pound Block Cheddar Cheese Prices and Sales - Region and United States: February 25, 2012-March 24, 2012 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week ending Region :-------------------------------------------------------------------------- : February 25, : March 3, : March 10, : March 17, : March 24, : 2012 : 2012 : 2012 : 2012 : 2012 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : dollars per pound Price weighted by sales : Minnesota and Wisconsin ......: 1.5826 1.5698 1.5746 1.5922 1.5976 : Other States .................: 1.4877 1.4782 1.4834 1.4836 1.5048 : United States ................: 1.4940 1.4873 1.4926 1.4955 1.5135 : : pounds Sales : Minnesota and Wisconsin ......: 651,923 919,888 1,001,438 1,126,404 903,603 : Other States .................: 9,180,300 8,386,706 8,910,193 9,130,686 8,666,043 : United States ................: 9,832,223 9,306,594 9,911,631 10,257,090 9,569,646 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 500 Pound Barrel Cheddar Cheese Prices, Sales, and Moisture Content - Region and United States: February 25, 2012-March 24, 2012 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week ending Region :-------------------------------------------------------------------------- : February 25, : March 3, : March 10, : March 17, : March 24, : 2012 : 2012 : 2012 : 2012 : 2012 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : dollars per pound Price weighted by sales : Minnesota and Wisconsin ......: 1.5879 1.5850 1.5867 1.5895 1.6371 : Other States .................: 1.5964 1.5830 1.5863 1.5830 1.6298 : United States ................: 1.5922 1.5837 1.5865 1.5857 1.6333 : Price adjusted to 38% moisture: weighted by sales : Minnesota and Wisconsin ......: 1.5213 1.5169 1.5215 1.5141 1.5623 : Other States .................: 1.5076 1.5002 1.5082 1.4996 1.5479 : United States ................: 1.5143 1.5065 1.5146 1.5056 1.5549 : : pounds Sales : Minnesota and Wisconsin ......: 4,837,908 4,071,556 5,434,424 4,935,317 4,844,897 : Other States .................: 4,947,065 6,679,532 5,805,132 6,986,505 5,079,938 : United States ................: 9,784,973 10,751,088 11,239,556 11,921,822 9,924,835 : : percent Moisture content : weighted by sales : Minnesota and Wisconsin ......: 35.29 35.22 35.34 34.91 35.03 : Other States .................: 34.35 34.58 34.79 34.55 34.72 : United States ................: 34.81 34.82 35.06 34.70 34.87 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dry Whey Prices and Sales - United States: February 25, 2012-March 24, 2012 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week ending Region :-------------------------------------------------------------------------- : February 25, : March 3, : March 10, : March 17, : March 24, : 2012 : 2012 : 2012 : 2012 : 2012 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : dollars per pound Price weighted by sales : United States ................: 0.6110 0.6065 0.6195 *0.6066 0.6113 : : pounds Sales : United States ................: 9,028,734 9,156,397 7,921,632 *8,549,009 8,184,903 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised. Nonfat Dry Milk Prices and Sales - United States: February 25, 2012-March 24, 2012 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week ending Region :-------------------------------------------------------------------------- : February 25, : March 3, : March 10, : March 17, : March 24, : 2012 : 2012 : 2012 : 2012 : 2012 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : dollars per pound Price weighted by sales : United States ................: 1.3685 *1.3641 1.3410 1.3261 1.3043 : : pounds Sales : United States ................: 18,744,028 *19,101,202 22,506,612 23,438,045 27,690,380 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised. Statistical Methodology: Dairy Products Prices Data collection period: Dairy Products Prices statistics are based upon survey data collected after Saturday of each week. Sampling frames and sample size: The Dairy Products Prices program consists of 80 manufacturing plants selling one million pounds or more of dairy products as defined by Public Law Number 106-532. There are 18 plants reporting 40 pound cheddar blocks, 14 plants reporting 500 pound cheddar barrels, 19 plants reporting butter, 29 plants reporting nonfat dry milk, and 20 plants reporting dry whey. There are 8 plants in the Minnesota and Wisconsin Region reporting 40 pound cheddar blocks and 8 plants in the Minnesota and Wisconsin Region reporting 500 pound cheddar barrels. Modes of data collection: Data are collected by electronic data reporting, telephone, and facsimile. Term and definitions: Firms complete the weekly questionnaires using definitions from Public Law Number 106-532 and through the aid of instructions provided during the Annual Validation interview as well as provided information on the questionnaire. Reliability: Price data included in the Dairy Products Prices report are collected through a Census of all qualifying manufacturers of the following products: 1) Cheddar cheese in 40 pound blocks, colored between 6 and 8 on the National Cheese Institute color chart, meeting Wisconsin State Brand, USDA Grade A, or better standards. 2) Cheddar cheese in 500 pound barrels, white, meeting Wisconsin State Brand, USDA Grade A, or better standards. 3) Salted butter (80% butterfat), fresh or storage, in 25 kilogram and 68 pound boxes meeting USDA Grade AA standards. 4) Non-fortified, nonfat dry milk in 25 kilogram bags, 50 pound bags, totes, and tankers meeting USDA Extra Grade or USPH Grade A standards. 5) Edible non-hygroscopic dry whey in 25 kilogram bags, 50 pound bags, totes, and tankers meeting USDA Extra Grade standards. Estimating Procedures: Price data reported by manufacturers are reviewed for reasonableness and consistency by comparing with data reported in prior weeks and by data reported by other firms in their region and national trends. During weekly review both field office and Agricultural Statistics Board re- contact manufacturers to verify any unusual data relationships. The Agriculture Marketing Service conducts on-site verifications if manufacturers fail to sufficiently explain any unusual data relationships. Revision Policy: Dairy Products Prices information is subject to revisions to the previous four weeks. The previous two calendar years of estimates for the weekly dairy products prices are subject to verification by AMS. Information Contacts Listed below are the commodity specialists in the Livestock Branch of the National Agricultural Statistics Service to contact for additional information. E-mail inquiries may be sent to nass@nass.usda.gov Dan Kerestes, Chief, Livestock Branch ........... (202) 720-3570 Scott Hollis, Head, Livestock Section ........... (202) 690-2424 Travis Averill - Cattle, Cattle on Feed ...... (202) 720-3040 Sherry Bertramsen - Livestock Slaughter ...... (515) 284-4340 Doug Bounds - Hogs and Pigs, Goats ........... (202) 720-3106 Mike Miller - Milk Production and Milk Cows .. (202) 720-3278 Lorie Warren - Dairy Products, Sheep ......... (202) 690-3236 Access to NASS Reports For your convenience, you may access NASS reports and products the following ways: All reports are available electronically, at no cost, on the NASS web site: http://www.nass.usda.gov Both national and state specific reports are available via a free e- mail subscription. To set-up this free subscription, visit http://www.nass.usda.gov and in the "Follow NASS" box under "Receive reports by Email," click on "National" or "State" to select the reports you would like to receive. 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