Dairy Product Output Falters

WASHINGTON - Mar 2/01 - STAT -- Production of all types of dairy products in the United States faltered in January, with several key products posting substantial declines in output.

The USDA found of the biggest drops was reported American type cheese. Output dropped 5.1% from last year's levels to 301 million pounds in January. This was a 40.4% gain over December.

The drop affected total cheese output, which was 678 million pounds, 1.2% below January 2000 and 1.7% below December 2000.

Butter production was also down sharply at 128 million pounds in January, 9.7% below January 2000 but 10.8% above December 2000.

Among products showing advances, cream cottage cheese production was 30.1 million pounds, 8.9% above January 2000 and 7.0% above December 2000.

Lowfat cottage cheese production was 29.2 million pounds, 3.5% above January 2000 and 11.8% above December 2000.

Frozen dessert: (comparisons with January 2000): Ice cream, Regular (hard) --- 62.8 million gallons, up 4.6%; Ice cream, Lowfat (total) --- 24.1 million gallons, up 17.6%; Ice cream, Nonfat (hard) --- 2.02 million gallons, down 17.9%; Sherbet (hard) --- 3.47 million gallons, up 4.9%; and Frozen Yogurt (total) --- 6.27 million gallons, up 14.6%.

Dry milk products: (comparisons with January 2000): Nonfat dry milk for human food --- 117 million pounds, down 12.1%; Dry whole milk --- 5.09 million pounds, down 41.8%; and Dry buttermilk --- 5.26 million pounds, down 8.8%.

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