Cooperatives Working TogetherCooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 24 requests for export assistance from Dairy Farmers of America, Darigold, Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative and United Dairymen of Arizona to sell a total of 1,623 metric tons (3.578 million pounds) of Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese and 745 metric tons (1.642 million pounds) of butter to customers in Asia, Africa, Central America and the Middle East. The product will be delivered May through November 2012.

In 2012, CWT has assisted member cooperatives in making export sales of Cheddar, Monterey Jack and Gouda cheese totaling 53.8 million pounds, and butter and anhydrous milk fat totaling 44.4 million pounds, to 27 countries on four continents. On a butterfat basis, the milk equivalent of these exports is 1.465 billion pounds, or the same as the annual milk production of 69,800 cows.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program positively impacts producer milk prices in the short-term by reducing inventories that overhang the market and depress cheese and butter prices. In the long-term, CWT's Export Assistance program helps member cooperatives gain and maintain market share, thus expanding the demand for U.S. dairy products and the farm milk that produces them.

CWT will pay export bonuses to the bidders only when delivery of the product is verified by the submission of the required documentation.

5.22.2012