Modest Increase in Dairy Product Output

WASHINGTON - May 3/02 - STAT -- The United States recorded a modest increase in dairy product output over March of 2001, according to the latest data compiled by the USDA.

Total cheese output (excluding cottage cheese) was 717 million pounds, 0.5% above March 2001 and 10.8% above February 2002 American type cheese production totaled 316 million pounds, 6.5% above March 2001 and 10.1% above February 2002.

Butter production was 129 million pounds in March, 15.8% above March 2001 and 2.9% above February 2002.

Frozen dessert: (comparisons with March 2001): Ice cream, Regular (hard) --- 76.7 million gallons, down 0.5%; Ice cream, Lowfat (total) --- 31.2 million gallons, down 11.3%; Ice cream, Nonfat (hard) --- 2.04 million gallons, up 18.9%; Sherbet (hard) --- 4.79 million gallons, up 6.5%; Frozen Yogurt (total) --- 7.18 million gallons, down 2.8%.

Nonfat dry milk for human food: (compared with March 2001) --- 143 million pounds, up 17.9%.

Dry whey products: (comparisons with March 2001): Dry whey, human --- 91.7 million pounds, up 4.2%; Dry whey, animal --- 4.59 million pounds, down 12.9%; and Dry whey, total --- 96.3 million pounds, up 3.3%.

                     Dairy Products:  Production by Product,
                         United States, March, 2001-2002
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                             :          :          :          :   Change From
                             :   Mar    :   Feb    :   Mar    :-----------------
           Product           :   2001   : 2002 1/  :   2002   :  Mar   :  Feb
                             :          :          :          :  2001  :  2002
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                             : -------- 1,000 Pounds -------    ---% --
                             :
Butter                       : 111,374    125,352    128,972     15.8      2.9
Cheese                       :
  American Types 2/          : 297,097    287,383    316,452      6.5     10.1
    Cheddar                  : 233,113    224,971    246,883      5.9      9.7
  Swiss                      :  20,801     18,838     20,447     -1.7      8.5
  Brick and Muenster         :   8,175      6,313      6,602    -19.2      4.6
  Cream and Neufchatel       :  60,040     44,016     54,687     -8.9     24.2
  Hispanic                   :   8,577      8,884      9,199      7.3      3.5
  Mozzarella                 : 238,805    213,429    234,694     -1.7     10.0
  Other Italian Types        :  63,778     52,548     58,045     -9.0     10.5
  Total Italian Types        : 302,583    265,977    292,739     -3.3     10.1
  All Other Types            :  16,449     15,680     17,013      3.4      8.5
  Total                      : 713,722    647,091    717,139      0.5     10.8
Cottage Cheese, Curd 3/      :  40,422     35,178     38,354     -5.1      9.0
Cottage Cheese, Cream 4/     :  32,915     28,788     31,664     -3.8     10.0
Cottage Cheese, Lowfat 5/    :  32,994     30,006     32,395     -1.8      8.0
Canned Evaporated and        :
 Condensed Whole Milk        :  33,779     29,417     40,510     19.9     37.7
Dry Whole Milk               :   2,842      4,219      1,922    -32.4    -54.4
Nonfat Dry Milk, Human       : 121,080    125,838    142,792     17.9     13.5
Dry Skim Milk, Animal        :     454        852        674     48.5    -20.9
Dry Buttermilk               :   5,162      4,888      5,790     12.2     18.5
Yogurt, Plain & Flavored     : 173,076    162,903    179,575      3.8     10.2
                             :
                             :  ------- 1,000 Gallons ------    ---% --
                             :
Frozen Products              :
  Ice Cream, Hard            :  77,071     71,034     76,692     -0.5      8.0
  Ice Cream, Lowfat, Hard    :   7,630      6,404      8,313      9.0     29.8
  Ice Cream, Lowfat, Soft    :  27,576     18,572     22,900    -17.0     23.3
  Ice Cream, Lowfat, Total   :  35,206     24,976     31,213    -11.3     25.0
  Ice Cream, Nonfat, Hard    :   1,712      1,610      2,035     18.9     26.4
  Sherbet, Hard              :   4,494      4,050      4,785      6.5     18.1
  Water and Juice Ices       :   5,959      5,033      6,182      3.7     22.8
  Frozen Yogurt, Total       :   7,388      6,348      7,184     -2.8     13.2
    Regular & Lowfat, Hard   :   2,297      2,012      2,413      5.1     19.9
    Nonfat, Hard             :   1,227        968      1,184     -3.5     22.3
  Other Frozen Dairy         :
   Products                  :     840        790        629    -25.1    -20.4
                             :
Mix for Frozen Products      :
  Ice Cream Mix              :  43,879     40,595     45,536      3.8     12.2
  Ice Cream, Lowfat, Mix     :  18,654     13,863     17,313     -7.2     24.9
  Ice Cream, Nonfat, Mix     :   1,056      1,059      1,276     20.8     20.5
  Sherbet Mix                :   3,229      2,848      3,409      5.6     19.7
  Yogurt Mix                 :   3,807      3,734      4,226     11.0     13.2
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1/  Revised.
2/  Includes Cheddar, Colby, Monterey, and Jack.
3/  Mostly used for processing into cream or lowfat cottage cheese.
4/  Fat content 4% or more.
5/  Fat content less than 4%.