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From The Fields
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MIELKE, from pg. 16
was offset by gains to Southeast Asia, according to Fuess, including the Philippines and Indonesia.
Exports continue through the Cooperatives Working Together. Member cooperatives accepted four offers of export assistance this week that helped them capture sales of 3.2 million pounds of American-type cheese. The product is going to customers in Asia, Middle East-North Africa and Oceania, through February.
CWT’s 2022 sales now total 70.1 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 459,000 pounds of butter, 29.8 million pounds of whole milk powder and 7.1 million pounds of cream cheese. The products were shipped to 18 countries and are the equivalent of 930 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis. n
You’ll recall preliminary U.S. Department of Agriculture data showed July milk production was up 0.2 percent from July 2021. The July Dairy Products report shows where that milk went.
July cheese output totaled 1.158 billion pounds, up 0.5 percent from the June total which was revised down 5 million pounds, but was up 1.1 percent from July 2021. Output year-to-date stands at 8.1 billion pounds, up 2.2 percent from a year ago.
Wisconsin remains the biggest cheese producer, followed by California, then Idaho, New Mexico, New York, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Ohio, and Vermont.
Italian cheese output totaled 491.5 million pounds, up 1.9 percent from June and 2.3 percent above a year ago. Year-to-date, Italian stands at 3.4 billion pounds, up 3.3 percent.
American-type cheese totaled 467.9 million pounds, up 1.5 percent from June and 0.1 percent above a year ago. Year-to-date output, at 3.3 billion pounds is down 0.1 percent.
Mozzarella output jumped to 393.3 million pounds, up 5 percent from a year ago, with year-to-date at 2.7 bil-
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lion pounds, up 4.3 percent.
Cheddar production, the cheese traded at the CME, slipped to 331.6 million pounds, down 5 million pounds or 1.5 percent from the June total, which was revised up 3.1 million. It was also up 6.6 million pounds or 2 percent from July 2021. Year-to-date, cheddar is at 2.3 billion pounds, down 1.7 percent from a year ago.
July butter totaled 151.7 million pounds, down 8.5 million pounds or 5.3 percent from June, but up 4.6 million or 3.1 percent from a year ago. Year-to-date, butter output is at 1.25 billion pounds, down 2.2 percent from a year ago.
Keep in mind, butter stocks in July were down over 82 million pounds or 20.1 percent from a year ago. There’s a reason butter prices are where they are.
Yogurt output totaled 377.2 million pounds, down 6 percent from a year ago, with year-to-date output at 2.7 billion pounds, down 3.2 percent.
The strong cheese production meant plenty of whey. Dry whey output climbed to 85.7 million pounds, up 5.5 million pounds or 6.9 percent from June, and 4.7 million or 5.8 percent above a year ago. Year-to-date, whey is at 566.8 million pounds, up 3.1 percent.
Dry whey stocks totaled 69.4 million pounds, down 300,000 pounds or 0.4 percent from June; but were 2.3 million pounds or 3.4 percent above those a year ago.
Nonfat dry milk output slipped to 165.7 million pounds, down 3.6 million pounds or 2.1 percent from June, but was up a hefty 27.9 million pounds or 20.2 percent from a year ago. Year-todate, powder was at 1.3 billion pounds, down 4.4 percent.
Stocks climbed to 336.7 million pounds, up 19.4 million pounds or 6.1 percent from June and were up 22.9 million pounds or 7.3 percent above a year ago.
Skim milk powder output hit 50.8 million pounds, up 5.6 million pounds or 12.4 percent from June, but was down 13.6 million or 21.1 percent from a year ago. Year-to-date, skim milk powder was at 276.2 million pounds, down 24.9 percent from 2021. StoneX called the Dairy Products report ”overtly bearish.”
n
StoneX reported on Sept. 8 that Russian President Putin proposed adding limits to the Ukraine grain export deal, threatening to halt all energy supplies to Europe as well. The export agreement is up for renewal in late November and Turkey’s president, who helped orchestrate the deal, echoed Putin’s grain export complaint, looking for Ukraine grain to go to “richer” countries and wanting to facilitate additional Russian exports, according to StoneX.
Speaking of Ukraine, preliminary estimates from dairy officials within the country suggest dairy has diminished by about 15 percent, according to Dairy Market News. Milk output is seasonally trending lower in all of Eastern Europe, though some of the countries are ahead of last year’s output, with war-torn Ukraine the exception.
The Australian forecast indicates flat to moderate growth for the new season, as milk collections began by posting posted a 2.7 percent decrease compared to July a year ago. Dairy output has fallen every month in the 2021-22 period. Sources suggest that with continued low production and supply shortfalls expected in Australia, the competition between processors has picked up.
Rain-soaked pastures have thus far accompanied New Zealand’s new season, supporting declines in the available dairy commodities. Very wet conditions occurred in the North Island throughout July. Milk collections were down 3.5 percent. South Island rainfall has been heavy, but July milk collections were up 9.7 percent.
By all accounts, in July, New Zealand’s milk production dropped a massive 5.5 percent on volume basis, says Dairy Market News, compared to the same period the previous year. As such, the New Zealand 2022-23 milk production forecast at the moment has been downgraded from up 0.4 percent to minus 2.2 percent compared to the last season.
Lee Mielke is a syndicated columnist who resides in Everson, Wash. His weekly column is featured in newspapers across the country and he may be reached at lkmielke@juno.com. v
Minnesota farmers donate soy-based shoes to Mankato Clinic workers
As part of its “Stepping Up” promotional effort, Blue Earth County Corn and Soybean Growers donated 70 pairs of Skechers soy-based GO shoes to workers at the Mankato Clinic. The shoes were distributed on Aug. 31. “The campaign brings to light the importance of our frontline health care workers,” said Travis Stewart who serves as chair of the Blue Earth County Corn and Soybean Growers. “It is our way to say ‘thank you’ for all they do to support our community.” “Mankato Clinic is honored to be chosen to receive a donation of Skechers soy-based shoes. We thank our local farmers for recognizing our staff who go the distance every day to care for our patients and community,” Keith Bauer, Mankato Clinic Human Resources director, said. “When we received news of the donation, we invited employees to enter a drawing to win a free pair of Skechers.”
Three hundred employees entered a drawing to win one of the 70 pairs of shoes.
The Stepping Up campaign runs throughout the summer. The statewide effort strives to inform both farming and non-farming public on soy’s environmental advantages and the myriad uses of soybean oil. County leaders also want to show their appreciation to health care workers in their community.
“We know how much health care workers sacrifice for others in communities throughout Minnesota, especially in the past couple of years. I’ve seen it firsthand,” said Council Chair Joe Serbus, whose wife, Doreen, has worked in health care for more than 40 years. “This campaign is an investment in both value-added soybean products and in the selfless health care professionals who keep us safe and healthy.”
“Discovering ways to make product more sustainable is top of mind for Skechers,” said Kurt Stockbridge, Skechers vice president of Product Development and Innovation. “Though we were aware of the sustainable qualities of soybean oil, we were surprised to learn what the oil could do to improve our outsole rubber performance.”
Blue Earth County is affiliated with the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, a 15-person, farmer-led board that oversees the investment of checkoff dollars on behalf of the nearly 28,000 soybean farmers in Minnesota. The Council is governed by the rules of a federally mandated checkoff program requiring all soybean producers to pay a fee on the soybeans they sell. This money is used to promote, educate and develop market opportunities for soybeans. v
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