MD_DA431 Butter - Central U.S. Report 2 - Released on January 09, 2019 Post-holiday level cream availability has butter churns across the region fully engaged, as producers work to build springtime inventories. Some producers suggest the amount of cream clearing into plants this week is higher than it has been in three years. Butter sales are somewhat steady. Butter market analysts suggest butter prices were expected to be slightly lower than they currently are, as market prices hold in/around the low $2.20s. Early year positivity have some contacts suggesting 2019 may be as bullish, if not more so, than 2018. National Retail Report Dairy ą Butter Summary Advertised Prices at Major Retail Supermarket Outlets ending during the period of 1/4/2019 to 1/10/2019 Butter 1# Weighted Average Price National This Period Last Week Last Year Organic $5.63 $5.39 n.a. Conventional $3.67 $3.31 $3.89 Prices This Period Regional (Conventional) Wtd. Ave. Low High Alaska n.a. n.a. n.a. Hawaii n.a. n.a. n.a. Midwest n.a. n.a. n.a. Northeast $3.45 $2.88 $4.99 Northwest n.a. n.a. n.a. South Central $3.86 $2.99 $4.79 Southeast $5.69 $5.69 $5.69 Southwest n.a. n.a. n.a. Prices for: Central U.S., All First Sales, F.O.B., Grade AA, Conventional, and Edible Butter Bulk Basis Pricing - 80% Butterfat $/LB: +0.0500 - +0.0700 Information for the period January 7 - 11, 2019, issued weekly Secondary Sourced Information: The CME Group monthly average price for Grade AA butter during December was $2.2071, down from Novemberśs $2.2480. Published by: Dairy Market News - Madison, WI ISRAEL WEBER, 608-422-8601 Email: israel.weber@ams.usda.gov Additional Dairy Market News Information: Dairy Market News (DMN) by Phone: (608)422-8602 DMN Website: http://www.ams.usda.gov/market-news/dairy DMN Database Portal: http://www.marketnews.usda.gov/mnp/da-home