Dairy Product Prices Ease

WASHINGTON - May 17/02 - SNS -- Dairy product prices recorded a mixed performance during the week ending May 11, with cheese and butter dropping while dry milk and non whey advanced.

The USDA reports Cheddar Cheese prices received for US 40 pound Blocks averaged $1.23 per pound. The price per pound increased 0.1 cents from the previous week. The price for US 500 pound Barrels adjusted to 38% moisture averaged $1.23 per pound, down 0.4 cents from the previous week.

Butter prices received for 25 kilogram and 68 pound boxes meeting USDA Grade AA standards averaged $1.03 per pound. The U.S. price per pound decreased 7.7 cents from the previous week.

Nonfat Dry Milk prices received for bag, tote and tanker sales meeting USDA Extra Grade or USPH Grade A standards averaged 89.7 cents per pound. The U.S. price per pound increased 0.4 cents from the previous week.

Dry Whey prices received for bag, tote and tanker sales meeting USDA Extra Grade standards averaged 18.4 cents per pound. The U.S. price per pound increased 0.3 cents from the previous week.

                    United States National Dairy Product Price Summary
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                    :                        Week Ending
  Style and Region  :-----------------------------------------------------------
                    :  May 11,  :  May 4,   :  Apr 27,  :  Apr 20,  :  Apr 13,
                    :   2002    :  2002 1/  :   2002    :   2002    :   2002
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Cheddar Cheese      :                         Dol./Lb.
  40 Lb. Blocks     :    1.2344      1.2331      1.2303      1.2296      1.2152
  500 Lb. Barrels   :    1.2894      1.2948      1.2888      1.2764      1.2658
Butter              :    1.0331      1.1096      1.1283      1.1537      1.1841
Nonfat Dry Milk     :    0.8974      0.8932      0.8968      0.8967      0.8977
Dry Whey            :    0.1841      0.1810      0.1862      0.1957      0.1974
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1/  Revised.