MD_DA440  
DA 
MD DA440 BUTTER - WEST 

MADISON, WI.  November 24, 2015 (REPORT 47)

WEST BUTTER

Western butter makers have finished churning print butter for Thanksgiving and are now 
shifting their focus to the end of year holiday orders. Industry contacts expect cream to 
be more available over the long holiday weekend as a few manufacturers purchased cream 
supplies in advance and others have slowed production. Cream demand, however is still 
strong and butter production is active overall. Butter inventories are longer than last 
year, but are heavily committed. Some buyers are finding spot loads of bulk butter hard 
to find. The DMN National Retail Report - Dairy for the week of November 20-26, found 
that the U.S. weighted average advertised price of 1 pound butter is $2.82, down $.03 
from one week ago and down $.81 from one year ago. In the Southwest, the weighted average 
advertised price for 1 pound butter was $2.93 with a price range of $2.50-$3.99, and in 
the Northwest, $2.89 with a price range of $2.47-$3.99. The NASS Cold Storage report 
noted U.S. butter stocks as of October 31, 2015, were 179.0 million pounds, down 5% from 
last month. Butter stocks in all warehouses were 148.0 million pounds last year at this 
time. Bulk butter pricing in the West this week is 4 cents under market to 3 cents above, 
based on the CME Group with various time frames and averages used. The Grade AA butter 
price at the CME Group on Tuesday closed at $2.9000, up $.0150 from a week ago.

1200CT Mike.Bandli@ams.usda.gov 608.557.7010
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