CWT Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 12 requests for export assistance from Dairy Farmers of America, Michigan Milk Producers Association, Northwest Dairy Association (Darigold), and Tillamook County Creamery Association who have contracts to sell 1.483 million pounds (673 metric tons) of Cheddar Colby, Gouda and Monterey Jack cheese, 220,462 pounds (100 metric tons) of butter (82% milkfat) and 352,740 pounds (160 metric tons) of whole milk powder to customers in Asia, Central America, the Middle East and South America. The product has been contracted for delivery in the period from February through August 2016.

So far this year, CWT has assisted member cooperatives who have contracts to sell 7.487 million pounds of cheese, 5.401 million pounds of butter and 5.745 million pounds of whole milk powder to eleven countries on five continents. The sales are the equivalent of 232.574 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program, in the long-term, helps member cooperatives gain and maintain market share, thus expanding the demand for U.S. dairy products and the U.S. farm milk that produces them. This, in turn, positively impacts all U.S. dairy farmers by strengthening and maintaining the value of dairy products that directly impact their milk price.

The amounts of dairy products and related milk volumes reflect current contracts for delivery, not completed export volumes. CWT will pay export assistance to the bidders only when export and delivery of the product is verified by the submission of the required documentation.

The Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) Export Assistance program is funded by voluntary contributions from dairy cooperatives and individual dairy farmers. The money raised by their investment is being used to strengthen and stabilize the dairy farmers' milk prices and margins. For more information about CWT, visit http://www.cwt.coop.
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2.25.2016