Dairy Product Output Slips From December

WASHINGTON - Mar 4/04 - SNS -- Dairy product output in the United States slipped below month earlier levels during January, but managed to improve upon last year's numbers, according to the latest USDA data.

Total cheese output (excluding cottage cheese) was 735 million pounds, 2.4% above January 2003 but 2.5% below December 2003. American type cheese production totaled 320 million pounds, 0.2% above January 2003 and 0.3% above December 2003.

Butter production was 132 million pounds in January, 6.8% below January 2003 but 15.3% above December 2003.

Frozen dessert: (comparisons with January 2003): Ice cream, Regular (hard) --- 59.5 million gallons, down 11.6%&#059; Ice cream, Lowfat (total) --- 25.4 million gallons, up 0.3%&#059; Ice cream, Nonfat (hard) --- 1.40 million gallons, down 11.5%&#059; Sherbet (hard) --- 3.77 million gallons, down 7.0%&#059; and Frozen Yogurt (total) --- 4.41 million gallons, down 22.9%.

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