USDA releases cost of dairy processing study, webinar planned

“Cost of Processing Study for Cheese, Whey, Butter and Nonfat Dry Milk Plants” study has been released

 

 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the release of a Cost of Processing Study for Cheese, Whey, Butter and Nonfat Dry Milk Plants. The study gathered data from dairy processing plants located throughout the country to estimate the average costs of manufacturing a pound of four dairy commodity products (cheddar cheese, butter, dry whey and nonfat dry milk) that are used in Federal milk marketing order (FMMO) price formulas.

The study results are being released to provide data for interested parties to consider as they determine whether to seek changes to the FMMO price formulas. The study can be found at www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/moa/dairy.

The study was conducted by Dr. Mark Stephenson, Director of Dairy Policy Analysis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, at the request of USDA.

Stephenson will review the study’s methodology and results during a webinar hosted by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service on Feb. 23, 2022, at 11 a.m. ET. AMS will post a link to the webinar by Feb. 22, 2022, 5 p.m. ET.

Attendees will be able to submit questions during the webinar. The webinar will be recorded, and a video and transcript of the webinar will be posted at www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/moa/dairy after the webinar concludes.