MD_DA440  
DA                                                         
MD DA440 BUTTER - WEST                           

MADISON, WI.  April 8, 2015 (REPORT 13)
 
WEST BUTTER:

Churns in the West are producing butter for print and bulk 
demand.  Manufacturers have noted bulk butter holdings being 
tighter than had been expected.  Some manufacturers though, are 
making print butter to fill contracts and selling unneeded cream 
rather than add butter to inventories.  The National Retail 
Report - Dairy for the week April 3 - April 9, found that the 
U.S. weighted average advertised price of 1# butter, $2.46, is 
$.23 below the price two weeks ago and $.33 below one year ago.  
Retail prices for 1# butter in the Southwest have a weighted 
average advertised price of $2.81.  The average butter price for 
the Northwest is $3.01.  Dairy Products (NASS) reports total 
2015 U.S. butter production during February 2015, 156.1 million 
pounds, was 4.8% lower than February last year. U.S. cumulative 
2015 butter production through February was 3.1% lower than the 
same period last year.  In the West, total February butter 
production was 11.9% lower than February last year.  The CME 
Group March 2015 monthly average price for AA butter, $1.7166, 
is down $.0127 from February and down $.1979 from March one year 
ago.  Bulk butter pricing in the West this week is even market 
to 5 cents above, based on the CME Group with various time 
frames and averages used.  The Grade AA butter price at the CME 
Group on Wednesday closed at $1.7500, down $0.0100 from a week 
ago. 

1530CT eric.graf@ams.usda.gov 608.557.7005
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