Total 2018 Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) assisted member sales reached 72.5 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 17.4 million pounds of butter (82% milkfat) and 41.6 million pounds of whole milk powder. The milk equivalent of these sales is 1.364 billion pounds on a milkfat basis.
For the week of December 17th, member cooperatives accepted 23 offers of export assistance from CWT that helped them capture sales contracts for 3.214 million pounds (1,458 metric tons) of Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, 204,462 pounds (100 metric tons) of butter and 476,199 pounds (216 metric tons) of whole milk powder. The product will be delivered during the period from January through June 2019.
Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program positively affects all U.S. dairy farmers and all dairy cooperatives by strengthening and maintaining the value of dairy products that directly impact their milk price. It does this by helping member cooperatives gain and maintain world market share for U.S dairy products. As a result, the program has significantly expanded the total demand for U.S. dairy products and the demand for U.S. farm milk that produces those products.
The amounts of dairy products and related milk volumes reflect current contracts for delivery, not completed export volumes. CWT pays export assistance to the bidders only when export and delivery of the product is verified by required documentation.
All dairy farmers and all dairy cooperatives should invest in CWT. Membership information is available on the CWT website.
The Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) Export Assistance program is funded by voluntary contributions from dairy cooperatives and individual dairy farmers. The money raised by their investment is being used to strengthen and stabilize the dairy farmers’ milk prices and margins. For more information about CWT, visit www.cwt.coop.