General Increase in Dairy Product Output

WASHINGTON - May 5/04 - SNS -- Dairy product output was mostly higher in March, with solid gains in cheese and cottage cheese output offsetting declines in butter and dry milk.

The latest USDA data reveals total cheese output (excluding cottage cheese) was 779 million pounds, 6.6% above March 2003 and 10.6% above February 2004. American type cheese production totaled 325 million pounds, 2.3% above March 2003 and 9.3% above February 2004.

Butter production was 97.7 million pounds in March, 22.7% below March 2003 and 7.7% below February 2004.

Frozen dessert: (comparisons with March 2003): Ice cream, Regular (hard) --- 79.7 million gallons, up 5.3%; Ice cream, Lowfat (total) --- 36.1 million gallons, up 22.0%; Ice cream, Nonfat (hard) --- 1.70 million gallons, up 6.6%; Sherbet (hard) --- 5.58 million gallons, up 19.2%; and Frozen Yogurt (total) --- 6.16 million gallons, up 6.2%.

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