MD_DA830 Cheese - Midwestern U.S. Report 13 - Released on March 25, 2020 Cheese producers who ship primarily to food service accounts are feeling the crunch of the COVID-19 pandemic. They say orders have slipped noticeably. Retail orders are steady to stronger, and cheese producers who work primarily or exclusively with retail accounts are busy. A number of cheesemakers wear both hats. As is expected, they are managing cheese production based upon who is ordering. Some cheese plant managers are running seven-day workweeks. Milk prices remain similarly discounted as they were last week, on quiet spot trading. Last week, milk availability was questionable with more Class I plants pulling down milk supplies in order to keep up with the retail push. This week, milk is steadily available but spot interest is limited. Cheese markets are underwhelming according to cheese contacts. Although barrel prices are pushing slowly higher, the block to barrel price gap remains notably large. This, contacts have consistently relayed, is not an indicator of steady or bullish market tones. Midwestern wholesale prices are unchanged for Swiss cuts, down $.0025 for process, but up $.0700 for all other types. NATIONAL RETAIL REPORT DAIRY – CHEESE SUMMARY Advertised Prices at Major Retail Supermarket Outlets ending during the period of 03/20/2020 to 03/26/2020 Cheese 8 oz. Blocks Weighted Average Price National This Period Last Week Last Year Conventional $2.44 $2.33 $2.33 Organic $5.99 n.a. n.a. Regional (Conventional) Wtd. Ave. Low High Midwest $2.27 $1.79 $2.50 South Central $2.23 $2.00 $2.49 Regional (Organic) Wtd. Ave. Low High Midwest $5.99 $5.99 $5.99 Cheese 8 oz. Shred Weighted Average Price National This Period Last Week Last Year Conventional $2.43 $2.43 $2.22 Organic $3.50 $3.00 n.a. Regional (Conventional) Wtd. Ave. Low High Midwest $2.37 $1.79 $2.50 South Central $2.34 $1.89 $3.00 Regional (Organic) Wtd. Ave. Low High South Central $3.50 $3.50 $3.50 WISCONSIN WHOLESALE SELLING PRICES: DELIVERED DOLLARS PER POUND(MIXED LOTS (1000-5000 POUNDS)) Blue 5 pounds 2.5025-3.5725 Brick 5 pounds 2.2350-2.6600 Cheddar 40 pound Block 1.9575-2.3575 Monterey Jack 10 pounds 2.2100-2.4150 Mozzarella 5-6 pounds 2.0350-2.9800 Muenster 5 pounds 2.2350-2.6600 Process American 5 pound Loaf 1.5375-1.8975 Swiss 6-9 pound Cuts 3.1250-3.2425 Information for the period March 23 - 27, 2020, issued weekly Secondary Sourced Information: Cold Storage – Cheese Summary Released March 23, 2020, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). 1/31/20 Stocks in all Warehouses (1,000 pounds) as a percent of Natural Cheese 2/28/19 1/31/20 2/29/20 2/28/19 1/31/20 Total natural cheese 1,366,937 1,353,618 1,359,600 99 100 American, total 783,210 779,672 778,824 99 100 New England 67,551 66,933 72,728 108 109 Middle Atlantic 72,407 71,590 73,605 102 103 East North Central 331,811 319,673 314,543 95 98 West North Central 121,486 130,320 124,759 103 96 South Atlantic 646 131 108 17 82 East South Central 13,839 10,384 10,083 73 97 West South Central 4,486 5,325 10,413 232 196 Mountain 56,851 52,400 55,621 98 106 Pacific 114,133 122,916 116,964 102 95 Swiss, total 31,047 22,902 24,312 78 106 Other, total 552,680 551,044 556,464 101 101 New England 713 850 852 119 100 Middle Atlantic 15,332 16,593 22,265 145 134 East North Central 357,648 344,342 340,495 95 99 West North Central 42,867 49,169 50,175 117 102 South Atlantic 47,298 39,647 42,449 90 107 East South Central 20,373 35,079 34,081 167 97 West South Central 2,370 3,302 3,496 148 106 Mountain 2,855 3,914 3,895 136 100 Pacific 63,224 58,148 58,756 93 101 Published by: Dairy Market News - Madison, WI ISRAEL WEBER, 608-422-8601 Email: israel.weber@usda.gov Additional Dairy Market News Information: Dairy Market News (DMN) by Phone: (608)422-8602 DMN Website: https://www.ams.usda.gov/market-news/dairy DMN MARS (My Market News): https://mymarketnews.ams.usda.gov