CWT Assists with 1.5 Million Pounds of Cheese and Butter Export Sales

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) member cooperatives accepted offers of export assistance from CWT that helped them capture contracts to sell 1.345 million pounds (610 metric tons) of Cheddar, Gouda and Monterey Jack cheese and 137,789 pounds (63 metric tons) to customers in Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania. The product has been contracted for delivery in the period from June through December 2018.

CWT-assisted member cooperative 2018 export sales total 36.606 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 11.174 million pounds of butter (82% milkfat) and 10.183 million pounds of whole milk powder to 25 countries on five continents. These sales are the equivalent of 663.624 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis. Totals have been adjusted for cancellations.

This activity reflects CWT management beginning the process of implementing the strategic plan reviewed by the CWT Committee in March. The changes will enhance the effectiveness of the program and facilitate member export opportunities.

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 affects 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.