HDR1012000160051010970830CHEDDAR CHEESE PRICES Cheddar Cheese Prices National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released October 10, 1997, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Cheddar Cheese Prices" call Kevin Hintzman at (202) 720-4448, office hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. Block and Barrel Prices Decline Prices received for 40 lb. block Cheddar cheese declined 0.07 cents per pound for the week ending October 3, 1997. Barrel prices decreased 0.34 cents per lb. This is the first time 40 lb. block prices have decreased since the week ending July 4. Both Minnesota-Wisconsin 40 lb. block prices and Western prices were lower for the week. Data Reliability: The survey collects price information on sales of natural, unaged, Cheddar cheese at the first (wholesale) point of sale. Data are recorded for sales transactions completed during the survey week. A transaction is considered complete when cheese is shipped out or title transfers. The 65 plants reporting account for an estimated 85 percent of natural Cheddar cheese sales. Estimates for only the current month are subject to revision. * * * * * * * Only electronic subscriptions are available for this report. Print copies are available at USDA, Room 5829, SO. Bldg. This report is also available on autofax at (202) 720-2000. For Internet access, go to the NASS Home Page at: http://www.usda.gov/nass/. Cheddar Cheese Prices by Style and Region -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Week Ending Style and Region :----------------------------------------------------------- : Oct 3, : Sep 26, : Sep 19, : Sep 12, : Sep 5, : 1997 : 1997 1/ : 1997 : 1997 : 1997 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Dol./Lb. 40 Lb. Blocks : Avg. Price 2/ : MN/WI : 1.4243 1.4289 1.4197 1.4162 1.4092 West 3/ : 1.3682 1.3701 1.3681 1.3624 1.3434 US 4/ : 1.3829 1.3836 1.3823 1.3778 1.3680 : : Pounds Sales Volume 5/ : MN/WI : 1,316,912 1,009,442 1,233,620 1,457,273 1,498,850 West 3/ : 3,851,280 3,415,836 3,578,145 3,840,304 2,666,513 US 4/ : 5,291,672 4,502,337 4,907,197 5,355,751 4,203,050 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Dol./Lb. 640 Lb. Blocks : Avg. Price 2/ : US : 1.3879 1.3878 1.3905 1.4014 1.3962 : : Pounds Sales Volume 5/ : US : 1,069,611 1,376,212 914,324 1,168,918 940,949 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Dol./Lb. 500 Lb. Barrels : Avg. Price 2/ : MN/WI : 1.4138 1.4218 1.4219 1.4291 1.4291 Oth : 1.4016 1.4006 1.4035 1.4173 1.4062 US : 1.4061 1.4080 1.4099 1.4213 1.4155 : Price Adj. to : 39% Moisture : MN/WI : 1.3311 1.3324 1.3315 1.3384 1.3404 Oth : 1.2969 1.3027 1.2992 1.3128 1.3021 US : 1.3096 1.3130 1.3103 1.3214 1.3175 : : Pounds Sales Volume 5/ : MN/WI : 3,242,670 2,631,240 3,257,852 2,654,988 3,700,093 Oth : 5,415,431 4,924,923 6,177,863 5,183,536 5,437,079 US : 8,658,101 7,556,163 9,435,715 7,838,524 9,137,172 : : Percent Moisture Content : MN/WI : 35.21 34.91 34.86 34.87 34.97 Oth : 34.08 34.41 34.10 34.14 34.12 US : 34.50 34.59 34.36 34.39 34.46 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Revised. 2/ Prices weighted by volumes reported. 3/ CA, ID, OR, and WA. 4/ "Other Regions" included in U.S. total. 5/ Sales as reported by cooperating manufacturers.