Dairy Markets Week in Review
Cash butter sales returned to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange on March 24. It was the first sale since February 29, even though the price had crept up to $1.3975 per pound on unfilled bids. The next day the price dropped almost 4 cents, the first decline since February 21. It closed Friday at $1.36, down 2 3/4-cents on the week but 3 cents above that week a year ago. Eight cars traded hands on the week. NASS-surveyed butter averaged $1.2882, up a penny.

Block cheese closed Friday at $1.81, up a penny on the week and 39 cents above a year ago. Barrel closed at $1.75, down 2 1/2-cents on the week but 33 cents above a year ago. The NASS block average plunged 8.2 cents, to $1.9158. Barrel averaged $1.8915, down 8.3 cents. NASS nonfat dry milk averaged $1.2697, up 3.2 cents, and dry whey averaged 24.47 cents, up 0.2 cent. Eleven cars of block were sold on the week and 14 of barrel.

Provided courtesy of Dairyline.