Wisconsin’s total cheese output in December was lower compared to the same time a year earlier.
The USDA reports that the state’s dairy plants produced 240.9 million pounds of cheese during the month–which was 1.5 percent less than December 2012, but 3.1 percent more compared to this past November (partly due to the fact that November has less days on the calendar). This makes the third consecutive month that total production dropped in America’s Dairyland.
Nationally, 973 million pounds of cheese was produced–about 2.3 percent more than December 2012, and 8.1 percent above the previous month’s production totals.
Wisconsin’s production of American cheese decreased as the state produced 67.4 million pounds, about 8.1 percent less than last year, but six percent above last month’s production. Cheddar output fell by 13.9 percent compared to 2012 to total 44.8 million pounds, but was 8.9 percent greater than the month earlier. Italian production was at 124 million pounds, down 1.3 percent below last year, but 4.2 percent more for the month. And Mozzarella cheese in Wisconsin totaled 83.5 million pounds–about 3.5 percent less than December 2012, but 5.2 percent more compared to November 2013.
Dry Whey output in Wisconsin was recorded at 24.2 million pounds, which was down 2.2 percent from last year, but 11.2 percent higher than last month.
Source: Wisconsin Ag