MD_DA440 Butter - Western U.S. Report 20 - Released on May 18, 2022 Cream inventories are available to meet butter production demands in the West. Some contacts note that purchasers from other regions with tighter supplies are looking to the West for available loads. Ice cream makers are running busy schedules, and pulling on cream supplies, in preparation for summer demand. Butter makers are utilizing available loads of cream to run busy production schedules. Churns are active, though some plant managers say that butter making is limited by labor shortages. Retail demand for butter is steady to lower, while food service purchasing is steady. Stakeholders say that loads of unsalted and salted butter are becoming more available on the spot market. Bulk butter overages range from 4.0 - 15.0 cents above the CME market value. Prices for: Western U.S., All First Sales, F.O.B., Grade AA, Conventional, and Edible Butter Bulk Basis Pricing - 80% Butterfat $/LB: +0.0400 - +0.1500 Information for the period May 16 - 20, 2022, issued weekly Published by: Dairy Market News - Madison, WI ROMAN CARAMAN, 608-422-8593 Email: roman.caraman@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