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May dairy product production mixed, huge gains in SMP

The USDA says May dairy product numbers confirm processors significantly shifted to skim milk powder production as the supply chain battles COVID-19 backlogs.

Total cheese production totaled 1.1 billion pounds, up slightly below last year but up more than three percent from April.  Italian cheese production was up on the month and year while American cheese was lower on the year and previous month.

Butter production totaled 178 million pounds, up nearly five percent from last year but 18 percent lower than the previous month.

Nonfat dry milk was down more than nine percent from 2019 and skim milk powder was up nearly 77 percent.  Dry whey production was up nearly nine percent.  Lactose was down almost 15 percent from last year.