MD_DA851 Cheese Highlights Report 4 - Released on January 25, 2019 Cheese markets are flummoxed. The onset of 2019 has been tumultuous for barrel markets. Barrel prices last truckled to current midweek price points, at or around $1.16, on July 23, 2009. Cheese demand is steady to lower nationwide. Northeastern customer bases experiencing and/or expecting severe winter weather are downsizing orders from Midwestern cheesemakers, particularly pizza cheese producers. Western mozzarella producers continue to report healthier orders. Production activity is mixed, as well. Active production on the coastal regions tapers in the middle of the country, where some cheese plant managers suggest they are at their lightest workweek in years. Other producers in the Midwest suggest they are back to normal production schedules. Spot milk remains available, but prices are firming. Reported spot milk prices ranged from $.50 under to $1 over Class III. Information for the period January 21 - 25, 2019, issued weekly Secondary Sourced Information: On the CME, barrels closed at $1.1800, compared to $1.2000 last Friday. Blocks closed at $1.3900, compared to $1.4000 last week. 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