Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 12 requests for export assistance from Dairy Farmers of America, Michigan Milk Producers Association, Northwest Dairy Association (Darigold), and Tillamook County Creamery Association who have contracts to sell 1.483 million pounds of Cheddar Colby, Gouda and Monterey Jack cheese, 220,462 pounds of butter (82% milkfat) and 352,740 pounds of whole milk powder to customers in Asia, Central America, the Middle East and South America.
So far this year, CWT has assisted member cooperatives who have contracts to sell 7.487 million pounds of cheese, 5.401 million pounds of butter and 5.745 million pounds of whole milk powder to eleven countries on five continents. The sales are the equivalent of 232.574 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.
Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program, in the long-term, helps member cooperatives gain and maintain market share, thus expanding the demand for U.S. dairy products and the U.S. farm milk that produces them. This, in turn, positively impacts all U.S. dairy farmers by strengthening and maintaining the value of dairy products that directly impact their milk price.
The amounts of dairy products and related milk volumes reflect current contracts for delivery, not completed export volumes. CWT will pay export assistance to the bidders only when export and delivery of the product is verified by the submission of the required documentation.