December Cheese Output Up, Butter Down

WASHINGTON - Feb 4/04 - SNS -- The quantity of dairy products manufactured during December was mostly higher, with the notable exception of butter, according to the latest data available from the USDA.

Total cheese output (excluding cottage cheese) was 753 million pounds, 0.8% above December 2002 and 6.0% above November 2003. American type cheese production totaled 319 million pounds, 0.4% above December 2002 and 8.8% above November 2003.

Butter production was 114 million pounds in December, 10.4% below December 2002 but 30.0% above November 2003.

Frozen dessert: (comparisons with December 2002): Ice cream, Regular (hard) --- 54.4 million gallons, up 0.9%; Ice cream, Lowfat (total) --- 26.4 million gallons, up 12.5%; Ice cream, Nonfat (hard) --- 1.30 million gallons, up 3.8%; Sherbet (hard) --- 3.33 million gallons, up 4.5%; and Frozen Yogurt (total) --- 4.04 million gallons, down 4.5%.

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