Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 7 requests for export assistance from Dairy Farmers of America and Michigan Milk Producers Association who have contracts to sell 1.186 million pounds (538 metric tons) of Cheddar cheese and 308,647 pounds (140 metric tons) of whole milk powder to customers in Asia, Central America, North Africa, and South America. The product has been contracted for delivery in the period from May through November 2016.So far this year, CWT has assisted member cooperatives who have contracts to sell 20.194 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 7.716 million pounds of butter (82% milkfat) and 18.375 million pounds of whole milk powder to seventeen countries on five continents. The sales are the equivalent of 494.149 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 www.cwt.coop.
5.17.2016
