MD_DA830                                                         
DA                                                               
MD DA830 Cheese - Midwest                                        

MADISON, WI.  March 04, 2015 (REPORT 9)                          

MIDWEST CHEESE:                                                  
                                                                 
With the CME Group block market remaining unchanged all last week and 
until Wednesday this week, and little price change in barrels, it 
continues to be a very stable cheese market situation.  Midwest 
manufacturers view this period as one where business as usual is 
being done.  Heavy milk supplies continue to move to Midwest cheese 
vats as a preference to other dairy products.  Buyers continue buying 
cheese, although at a slower pace in some plants than others, as 
inventories begin to fill.  Fresh cheddar is fairly easy to locate 
and purchase.  Many cheese sellers do not anticipate any imminent 
factor that will significantly move markets off the current resting 
point, although there remains a "calm before the possible  storm" 
apprehension with other manufacturers, who are nervous about the 
market's lack of any clear direction and dread the unknown.  Overall 
the sense of cheese manufacturers and buyers is to keep making and 
buying cheese consistent with the current market stability.  The 
National Retail Report - Dairy (DMN) found that February 27 to March 
5  Midwest ads for 8 ounce shredded cheese have a weighted average 
advertised price of $2.53, 12 cents higher than the national average, 
$2.41.  One year ago the national average price was $2.40.  The 
Midwest price range is $1.88 to $3.00.  For 8 ounce blocks, the 
Midwest average price is $2.32, 11 cents higher than the national 
average price, $2.21.  One year ago the national average price was 
$2.32.  Wisconsin wholesale prices for 1,000 to 5,000 pound mixed 
lots of process cheese and Swiss are unchanged and the remaining 
varieties increased $.0025.  The CME Group February 2015 monthly 
average price for barrels, $1.4849, is down $.0146 from January and 
down $.6908 from February one year ago.  Blocks' February average 
price, $1.5382, is up $.0164 from January but down $.6563 from one 
year ago.  In CME Group cheese trading, barrels closed Wednesday this 
week at $1.4925, up 1 cent from Wednesday last week and blocks closed 
at $1.5500, up 1/2 cent.   

WISCONSIN WHOLESALE SELLING PRICES:  DELIVERED,                  
DOLLARS PER POUND (1000 - 5000 POUNDS MIXED LOTS)                
                                                                 
Process American 5# Loaf                   : 1.5925-1.9525       
Brick And/Or Muenster 5#                   : 1.9225-2.3475       
Cheddar 40# Block                          : 1.6500-2.0450       
Monterey Jack 10#                          : 1.8975-2.1025       
Blue 5#                                    : 2.1900-3.1775       
Mozzarella 5 - 6# (Low Moisture, Part Skim): 1.7675-2.6625       
Grade A Swiss Cuts 6 - 9#                  : 3.4100-3.5275       




100C eric.graf@ams.usda.gov
USDA/AMS/Dairy Market News, Madison, Wisconsin
Dairy Market News website: www.ams.usda.gov/dairymarketnews
Dairy Market News database portal: http://www.marketnews.usda.gov/mnp/da-home