MD_DA431
DA
MD DA431 BUTTER - CENTRAL 

MADISON, WI. March 23, 2016 (Report 12)

In the Central region, heavy cream volumes continue clearing 
into butter churning. Some butter manufacturers are running at 
full capacity. At this point, most of the production is focused 
on bulk butter. Inventories are steady to building into cold 
storage. Shipments to retailers, driven by the spring holidays, 
are slowing down. Bulk butter prices reported are unchanged from 
last week, ranging from market to 6 cents over the market, with 
various time frames and averages used. The DMN National Retail 
Report-Dairy for March 18-24 noted the national weighted average 
advertised price for a 1 pound package of butter is $3.07, $0.36 
lower than one week ago. The weighted average prices in the 
Midwest and South Central regions are $2.93 and $2.83, 
respectively. The NASS Cold Storage report noted U.S. butter 
stocks on February 29 were 235.5 million pounds, up 32% from a 
year ago and 23% higher than last month. Wednesday at the CME 
Group, Grade AA butter closed at $1.9200, down 2 cents from last 
Wednesday.

       2016 U.S. Butter Imports (USDA-FAS)

                 2016 Imports      % Change From      % of
                 (Million Lb.)       1 Year Ago       Yearly Quota


February Quota            1.2          -  23.4           7.5

TOTAL, JAN - FEB
   High Tier              7.1          + 266.9           ...
   Quota                  2.7          -  13.5          17.6


1530CT Angel.Teran@ams.usda.gov 608.557.7011
USDA/AMS/Dairy Market News, Madison, Wisconsin
Dairy Market News website: http://www.ams.usda.gov/market-
news/dairy
Dairy Market News database portal: 
http://www.marketnews.usda.gov/mnp/da-home