Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) member cooperatives accepted 16 offers of export assistance from CWT that helped them capture sales contracts for 1.7 million pounds (788 metric tons) of Cheddar and Gouda cheese, 1.0 million pounds (460 metric tons) of butter, 39,683 pounds (18 metric tons) of anhydrous milkfat, and 37,479 pounds (17 metric tons) of cream cheese. The product is going to customers in Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, Oceania, and Central America. It will be delivered from November 2020 through April 2021.

CWT-assisted member cooperative export sales contracts for 2020 total 29.725 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 11.933 million pounds of butter (82% milkfat), 2.022 million pounds of anhydrous milkfat, 6.580 million pounds of cream cheese, and 48.162 million pounds of whole milk powder. The product is going to 29 countries in seven regions. These sales are the equivalent of 1.001 billion pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.

Assisting CWT members in moving dairy products overseas through the Export Assistance program is critical during the challenging times U.S. dairy farmers and cooperatives are facing. The Export Assistance program helps to strengthen and maintain the value of dairy products that directly impact producers’ milk price. The program is helping member cooperatives grow and maintain world market share for U.S dairy products and is a significant factor in maintaining the total demand for U.S. dairy products and the demand for U.S. farm milk.

Dairy product and related milk volume amounts reflect current contracts for delivery, not completed export volumes. CWT pays export assistance to bidders only when export and delivery of the product is verified by required documentation.

All dairy farmers and dairy cooperatives should invest in CWT. Membership information is available on the CWT website.