Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 11 requests for export assistance from Dairy Farmers of America, Maryland-Virginia Milk Producers Association, Northwest Dairy Association (Darigold), and Tillamook County Creamery Association who have contracts to sell 1.613 million pounds (732 metric tons) of Cheddar cheese and 2.315 million pounds (1,050 metric tons) of butter (82% milkfat) to customers in Asia, the Middle East and Oceania. The product has been contracted for delivery in the period from February through August 2016.

So far this year, CWT has assisted member cooperatives who have contracts to sell 6.003 million pounds of cheese, 5.181 million pounds of butter and 5.392 million pounds of whole milk powder to eleven countries on five continents. The sales are the equivalent of 211.344 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.