Spot Cheddar, whey prices at the CME rally to yearly highs

October 23, 2026

By Alyssa Mitchell

MADISON, Wis. — Spot Cheddar prices at the CME reached 2026 highs this week, settling at $1.80 per pound for blocks and $1.72 per pound for barrels on Tuesday. While Cheddar barrels held on to the $1.72 price point to end the week, Cheddar blocks fell 9.75 cents Wednesday but moved back up 2.25 cents on Thursday and 1 cent today, closing out the week at $1.735.

Sara Dorland, managing partner at Ceres Dairy Risk Management, Seattle, says that while the timing and size of this rally is a little surprising, some varieties and package sizes of cheese have been tight for a bit, so a lift was somewhat expected.

“From what I gather, some sellers have turned buyers. First, there is H5N1 in the Pacific Northwest. That could negatively impact Cheddar cheese production and likely 40-pound blocks, potentially reducing the amount of cheese available to the CME,” Dorland says.

Mike McCully, owner of McCully Consulting, South Bend, Indiana, notes the saying of “low prices cure low prices” may be relevant here.

“Buyers saw cheese prices at multiyear lows entering October and decided to build inventory,” he says. “At the same time, export interest picked up given the large gap between U.S. and global prices. Factor in seasonal demand and rumors of plant production issues, and the market was ripe for a rally.” 

McCully adds there also is quite a bit of cheese sold off “date of make” or the prior-week average. 

“When the market is rolling higher, you buy more this week knowing next week’s purchases will be more expensive,” he explains. “This further stresses supplies as buyers scramble for more cheese.”

Dave Kurzawski, dairy broker at StoneX Financial Inc., Chicago, notes there is rarely just one or two reasons for the type of breathtaking market rally like the cheese market has experienced so far in October. 

“The main driver, if I have to pick one, is that the rather negative sentiment around cheese demand and milk availability that inundated market discussions and newsletter commentaries since July likely galvanized cheese buyer complacency ahead of what is traditionally the strongest seasonal demand for cheese,” Kurzawski says.

 “We still have eye-popping milk production and plenty of cows, but that’s a known in the market,” he adds. “In fact, it’s rather expected. The unexpected is causing the issues today, and it’s on the demand side.”

With the holiday buying season nearly underway, analysts say cheese prices may be supported in the short term.

“It is not uncommon for fresh cheese supplies to tighten up at this time of the year, which in the past, has created a short-term rally in prices,” McCully says, noting he forecasts prices to be in the $1.50-$1.60 range heading into 2027

“We’re likely seeing the impact of holiday demand — or preparing for holiday demand right now,” Kurzawski says. “Right now, it seems a verifiable stretch to say that domestic demand, and specifically holiday demand, will keep prices elevated through the end of the year, but I do expect more elevated cheese pricing into November at this point. I don’t think the market will just collapse overnight.”

Dorland notes that it seems other factors, namely cheese quality and herd health issues, may be bigger drivers than the holidays this year.

“With supplies a bit tighter and the holidays here, it could move up for a bit; however, there could be consequences,” she adds. “Over the past week, U.S. cheese prices have ceded the cost advantage in overseas markets. There was already evidence of a slowdown — this could accelerate that, implying the higher we go now, if exports slow down, a correction could follow.”

“We’ve likely jettisoned the export market for any aggressive new sales for the moment and put domestic demand in the driver’s seat,” Kurzawski says. “I don’t want to lean too hard on exports as the cause of this rally because I don’t think that is the case, but U.S. buyers do have competition on cheese sub-$1.40, at least this year. So that likely helped get the rally started.”

McCully agrees, noting that with New Zealand and European prices equivalent to US$1.60-1.70s, U.S. prices need to be lower in order to facilitate export sales.

“The last several years have shown U.S. cheese prices need to be discount, not premium, to global prices to keep exports moving and from cheese backing up in the domestic market,” he says. “CME spot prices tend to overreact on both the downside and upside. We’ve seen both extremes in three weeks, with prices jumping 42% off the Sept. 30 low of $1.27.”

Meanwhile, CME spot whey prices have surged in recent weeks, hitting a 2026 and all-time high of $0.895 per pound Oct. 16. Whey declined 5.25 cents on Thursday to $0.8425, where it remained to close out the week.

“CME prices rallied to near $0.90 but have pulled back to the mid-$0.80s. European prices are in the same range, so downside is limited,” McCully says, noting other indices are catching up with USDA’s National Dairy Product Sales Report price in the low- to mid-$0.70s.

“Historically, this has been an area where prices usually peaked,” he adds. “Production and stocks appear healthy, but exports have been record high in recent months, which is keeping the market tight. As long as European prices remain high, there is little downside for whey prices into the first quarter of 2027.” 

CMN

Trump administration unveils new $8B fuel relief program

October 23, 2026

WASHINGTON — President Donald J. Trump, alongside U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, this week announced that USDA will make $8 billion available for one-time payments to American farmers this harvest season to provide relief during temporary market disruptions and increased input costs.

Similar to the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program, the Harvest Fuel Relief (HFR) program will provide simple, proportional support to producers using a uniform formula to cover a portion of modeled losses during the 2026 crop year. This national loss average will be based on Farm Service Agency (FSA) reported planted acres, Economic Research Service cost of production estimates, and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates yields and prices.

The $8 billion in payments provided through the Harvest Fuel Relief program are authorized under the Commodity Credit Corp. (CCC) Charter Act and will be administered by FSA.

Commodity-specific payment rates for Title I commodities will be released in November. Payment methodology for other eligible commodities will be announced at a later date. Crop insurance linkage will not be required for participation in the Harvest Fuel Relief program; however, USDA strongly urges producers to take advantage of the enhanced risk management tools included in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act to best protect against price risk and volatility in the future.

Eligible producers are encouraged to create a Login.gov account in advance of the application period announcement. Pre-filled applications will be available online to producers with a Login.govaccount linked to USDA.

“Farmers and ranchers welcome the administration’s announcement of $8 billion in relief through the Harvest Fuel Relief program to help farmers struggling with high diesel prices,” says Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF). “We appreciate President Trump and Secretary Rollins recognizing that higher diesel prices have squeezed farmers’ bottom lines. By building on the Farmer Bridge Assistance program, USDA will be able to quickly deliver this relief to farm country.”

Duvall adds that AFBF looks forward to working with the president and USDA to ensure specialty crop growers, livestock producers, fishermen and others get the support they need so they can continue growing the food America’s families rely on. 

“We also value the president’s continued support for Congress passing a modernized farm bill, allowing year-round E15 and addressing agriculture’s labor needs,” he says.

National Farmers Union (NFU) Rob Larew says that while this assistance will be helpful for some farmers as they manage a costly harvest, trade disruptions and rising fuel costs tied to conflict abroad have put family farmers in a difficult position, and one-time payments can’t provide the stability they need to plan for the future.

“This is the second round of emergency aid this year to address losses that were largely foreseeable,” Larew says, adding that NFU also has questions about how this program will serve specialty crop growers, who have been asked to submit their own cost data with no clarity yet on whether or how they’ll be covered.

“The need for repeated emergency aid is a clear sign that the farm safety net is failing family farmers,” Larew says. “We need to provide long-term certainty and investment in diversifying our fuel sources with renewable options, not a cycle of ad hoc relief. That’s why Congress must commit to passing a strong farm bill that gives family farmers the stable footing they need.” 

CMN

September milk production up 2.7% from 2025 in major states

October 23, 2026

WASHINGTON — Milk production in the 24 major milk-producing states in September totaled 18.72 billion pounds, up 2.7% from September 2025’s 18.23 billion pounds, according to data released this week by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). August revised production for the 24 major states was 19.30 billion pounds, an increase of 132 million pounds or 0.7% from the previous month’s preliminary production estimate. (All figures are rounded. Please see CMN’s Milk Production chart on page 10.)

For the entire United States, September milk production was estimated at 19.44 billion pounds, up 2.6% from September 2025’s 18.94 billion pounds. 

September production per cow in the 24 major states averaged 2,012 pounds, up 18 pounds from September 2025 and down 68 pounds from August. For the entire United States, production per cow in September is estimated at 1,996 pounds, up 18 pounds from September 2025 and down 66 pounds from August.

NASS reports the number of milk cows on farms in the 24 major states, as well as the entire United States, was up from August 2026 and September 2025. 

California led the nation’s milk production in September with 3.29 billion pounds of milk, up less than half a percent from September 2025. Wisconsin followed with 2.78 billion pounds of milk, up 3.3% from a year earlier.        

CMN

Industry applauds FDA final rule allowing salt substitutes

October 16, 2026

WASHINGTON — FDA has issued a final rule to permit the use of salt substitutes in foods with standards of identity (SOI) that specify salt (sodium chloride) as a required or optional ingredient. Today’s final rule gives manufacturers of foods subject to a SOI regulation the flexibility to reduce sodium, enabling innovation and the production of healthier standardized foods.

SOIs were developed to help protect consumers and promote honesty and fair dealing. SOIs often describe in detail what a food must contain and what is optional and sometimes describe the amount or proportion of ingredients or components. Many SOIs also prescribe a method of production or formulation.

Before this final rule, 139 SOIs allowed or required the addition of salt but did not permit the use of salt substitutes in these foods. This meant manufacturers had few options to lower the sodium content in these standardized foods.

FDA says the final rule supports the Make America Healthy Again initiative and the FDA’s broader sodium reduction efforts, including the multiphase Voluntary Sodium Reduction Goals which encourage industry to gradually reduce the sodium content of their products across the U.S. food supply. Later this year, the agency will issue a report evaluating progress against the Phase I targets; a preliminary assessment issued in 2024 showed encouraging signs of progress.

FDA adds that this final regulation showcases how FDA provides manufacturers of standardized foods the flexibility to innovate to reduce sodium and make more healthful foods, which may help lower chronic disease rates.

The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) voiced its support for FDA’s final rule this week.

“IDFA welcomes FDA’s final rule permitting the use of salt substitutes in standardized foods, including many dairy products and cheeses. This update provides dairy manufacturers with additional flexibility to reduce sodium while maintaining product quality, safety and consumer expectations,” says IDFA President and CEO Michael Dykes.

“IDFA has long supported this approach and urged FDA to finalize the rule as part of broader standards of identity modernization efforts,” he adds. “We also appreciate FDA’s commitment to further evaluating progress under existing sodium reduction targets and encourage the completion of the evaluation before considering future actions.”
The Center for Science in the Public

Interest (CSPI) notes that the rule will affect common staple foods. This rule, along with final guidance issued in 2020 allowing use of the term “potassium salt” as an alternative name for “potassium chloride” on food labels, makes it easier for companies to use potassium salt as a salt substitute in certain processed foods. CSPI says this move is one of several steps necessary to reduce sodium in the U.S. food supply.

“Swapping sodium chloride for potassium chloride has immense potential for public health benefit, with studies showing it can lead to significant reductions in the rates of stroke, major cardiovascular events and death. It’s now up to the food industry to change product formulations and make our food supply healthier,” says CSPI Senior Policy Scientist Eva Greenthal, adding that there still is much left for FDA to do.

“We urge the agency to publish a final evaluation of the agency’s Phase I voluntary sodium reduction targets, issue more aggressive Phase II targets and finalize a mandatory front-of-package nutrition labeling system that includes warnings on products that are high in sodium. FDA must use all possible tools at its disposal to stop companies from loading our food up with salt,” Greenthal says.

CMN

Coalition urges USDA to reverse change in DBI center funding

October 16, 2026

MADISON, Wis. — A coalition of 28 organizations representing dairy farmers, processors, cooperatives and allied businesses nationwide is urging U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to eliminate a newly imposed 25% cost-share requirement for the Dairy Business Innovation (DBI) Initiatives, warning that the change threatens the future of a proven program supporting dairy businesses across the country.

In a letter dated Oct. 12, the organizations called on USDA to reissue its fiscal year 2026 funding opportunity without a required match and extend the Dec. 1 application deadline by 60 days. The extension would give prospective applicants additional time to evaluate the financial implications of the new requirement while USDA considers the coalition’s request.

Introduced for the first time in the program’s history, the 25% cost-share requirement represents a significant departure from the DBI Initiatives’ established structure. The four existing initiatives are housed at public universities, a state department of agriculture and a university-industry partnership, none of which has the resources available to meet the new matching requirement.

Established by Congress with bipartisan support in the 2018 Farm Bill and launched during the first Trump administration with no cost-share provision, DBI connects dairy businesses with specialized expertise and resources to develop products, address technical challenges, improve operations, diversify revenue and pursue new markets. The four initiatives collectively serve dairy businesses in 41 states.

The coalition emphasized that DBI delivers a strong return on federal investment by leveraging established institutions and regional industry relationships rather than building new federal infrastructure. The program is particularly valuable to small and mid-sized businesses that may have promising growth opportunities but lack the resources or specialized expertise to pursue them independently.

The letter also highlights the importance of preserving these resources amid mounting economic pressures. Dairy farmers and processors continue to navigate volatile markets, elevated production and energy costs, transportation expenses, workforce challenges, infrastructure needs, and intense domestic and international competition.

“Dairy businesses are already navigating significant economic pressures. Adding a 25% cost-share requirement to a program designed to help them compete and grow risks putting proven resources out of reach,” says Rebekah Sweeney, senior director of programs and policy for the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA). “We urge USDA to remove this unnecessary barrier and preserve access to the expertise and support that strengthen dairy businesses, rural communities and our nation’s food supply.”

The coalition notes that Congress has continued to support DBI because of its role in helping dairy businesses become more competitive, develop new markets and increase the value of domestic milk. Previous funding opportunities did not require matching funds and provided approximately 60 days for applications. The organizations argue that eliminating the new requirement and extending the deadline are necessary to protect the program’s effectiveness and ensure prospective applicants have a fair opportunity to participate.

The letter was signed by 28 organizations, including the Center for Dairy Excellence, International Dairy Foods Association, National Milk Producers Federation, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture and WCMA, along with state and regional dairy and agricultural organizations from across the country.

CMN

U.S. dairy product exports up in August compared to 2025

October 16, 2026

WASHINGTON — August exports of U.S. dairy products totaled 243,655 metric tons, up 4% from a year earlier, according to the latest data reported by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). On a milk solids equivalent basis, August U.S. dairy exports increased 2% year-over-year, the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) reports.

U.S. dairy product imports in August totaled 81,850 metric tons, up 22% from a year earlier, according to FAS data.

U.S. dairy exports were valued at $908.3 million in August, FAS reports, up 11% from the August 2025 value.

August U.S. cheese exports totaled 59,007 metric tons, up 9% from August 2025, according to FAS data. USDEC reports strong cheese shipments to Latin America — up 19% to Mexico, up 35% to South America and up 17% to Central America compared to a year earlier. However, cheese shipments to other regions softened compared to strong prior-year volumes, USDEC notes, reporting sales to South Korea down 12%, Australia down 10% and the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) down 23%.

August exports of U.S. butterfat totaled 10,223 metric tons, down 6% year-over-year. USDEC notes that following recent trends, U.S. butter exports were down 12%, while anhydrous milk fat (AMF) exports were up 11%.

European demand for U.S. butter has fallen with improved domestic supply and lower prices, while fallout from the Iran war decreased shipments to Saudi Arabia, USDEC explains. However, butterfat shipments to Bahrain and Mexico both had strong increases.

Nonfat dry milk/skim milk powder (NDM/SMP) exports in August dropped 19% to 45,703 metric tons, USDEC reports, as limited exportable supply and elevated U.S. pricing continue to hamper U.S. participation in global milk powder markets. USDEC also reports that U.S. high-protein whey (WPC 80+) export volume was down 21% in August, as there also is limited exportable supply (USDEC adjusts whey totals to account for misclassified shipments to China).

On the positive side, USDEC reports U.S. milk protein concentrate (MPC) exports had their biggest month in nearly four years, up 36% in August with strong year-over-year MPC gains in Brazil and Japan. Low-protein whey shipments also increased 25%, driven by gains in Canada and Southeast Asia.

CMN

CoBank: Tight margins, high costs pressuring ag economy

October 9, 2026

DENVER — Elevated borrowing costs, tighter agricultural margins and surging infrastructure demands are testing resilience across the rural economy. In the background, artificial intelligence (AI) is augmenting tasks rather than replacing occupations. While these forces are creating new opportunities, they’re also raising the stakes for businesses, producers and service providers deciding where to invest, adapt and compete, says a new report, “The Quarterly: Energy demand and borrowing costs test rural resilience,” released this week by CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange.

• Impact of AI

Nearly four years after the public release of generative AI tools, evidence of a widespread labor market disruption remains limited, the report says. While AI adoption among businesses has expanded rapidly and more than half of workers are using AI in some capacity, its impact has largely been concentrated on specific tasks rather than the elimination of entire jobs.

According to CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange, current data suggests that fears of an imminent AI-driven employment “apocalypse” have not materialized, and overall demand for workers remains largely intact across industries and demographic groups.

“Many workers are using AI to support specific activities, but the adoption remains relatively shallow,” says Rob Fox, vice president of CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange. “Most jobs depend on a broad combination of skills that AI cannot fully replicate. As a result, organizations have generally focused on redesigning workflows and retraining employees rather than reducing headcounts.”

Several recent studies and employer surveys reinforce that conclusion. Relatively few companies report layoffs directly attributable to AI adoption. Instead, organizations are investing in workforce development and modifying job responsibilities. Most importantly, there is a notable gap between AI’s impact on individual productivity gains and measurable business outcomes. While many workers report completing tasks faster, relatively few companies have realized significant improvements in profits or enterprise-wide value creation.

• U.S. economy, government

Economists have differing views on why intermediate- and long-term interest rates surged higher this year. Some attribute higher rates to persistent inflation and a resilient economy. Others blame government deficits, AI investment, reduced foreign demand for U.S. debt or declining confidence in economic policy. The competing explanations can largely be reduced to two related forces — investors expect short-term interest rates to remain higher for longer, while governments and corporations are asking markets to finance an ever-increasing level of outstanding debt.

Meanwhile, midterm election pressures are limiting legislative progress as candidates focus on competitive races and voter concerns about affordability. In rural America, low commodity prices, high input costs, trade disruptions and farm bill delays are intensifying uncertainty for agricultural producers, the report notes.

Farmers and the broader agriculture industry remain hopeful that whatever the November election brings, the urgent need for stability will convince legislators to resume legislating. Meanwhile, opposition to data centers continues to grow as rural and urban communities alike question their energy demands, costs and local economic benefits.

• Dairy, food and beverage

The U.S. dairy herd grew by 200,000 over the past 12 months, driven by strong producer returns for beef-on-dairy calves. Texas, Idaho, Kansas and South Dakota paced the herd expansion as U.S. dairy cow numbers moved to a 34-year high, the report notes.

While beef-on-dairy calves have dropped from a $2,000 high this May, the current $1,300 per calf remains far higher than the $200 level that prevailed prior to 2023. The extra dairy cows and resulting milk supply have put downward pressure on milk check revenue. As a result, beef revenue has become the key profit driver at the margin for producers with milk checks covering expenses.

Meanwhile, food inflation remains a central pressure point for packaged food companies, driven by elevated energy, fertilizer, raw material, packaging and tariff costs, the report says. According to USDA data, the average food bill will climb at least 3% through 2026 and another 2.4% in 2027 — but that increase masks the cumulative effect. Overall food prices have jumped 30% since January 2020. Retail brands are firmly in reactionary mode, as reduced unit sales and limited pricing flexibility leave them with few options.

Supply chain costs are expected to continue increasing through the latter half of the year, with fuel costs alone poised to significantly impact margins, the report adds. Consumers face those same inflationary pressures and will continue to focus their food and beverage behaviors on value and lower prices options. The only real positive for retailers and brands will be that consumers’ shift toward food at home should continue.

To read the report, visit www.cobank.com/knowledge-exchange/the-quarterly-energy-demand-and-borrowing-costs-test-rural-resilience.

CMN

AAP publishes updated policy position on raw dairy products

October 9, 2026

ITASCA, Ill. — The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) this week announced an updated policy statement that emphasizes risks associated with consumption of raw dairy products and examines evidence on avian influenza as a potential new source of infection.

“Unpasteurized milk, cheese and other ‘raw’ dairy products are unsafe to drink or eat, especially for young children and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding,” the AAP’s updated guidance says.

The AAP also has renewed its call for a ban on the sale and distribution of raw milk and dairy products, including raw cheeses, noting that they increase the risk of life-threatening infections. Claims that raw milk provides superior health benefits are not supported by scientific evidence.

The statement, “Consumption of Unpasteurized (Raw) Milk and Milk Products by Pregnant People and Children,” is published in the November 2026 Pediatrics (published online Oct. 5). The policy statement, written by the Committee on Infectious Diseases and the Committee on Nutrition, was featured during an Oct. 5 presentation at the AAP 2026 National Conference & Exhibition in San Diego, California.

The updated guidance also highlights emerging evidence that H5N1, or highly pathogenic avian influenza, may represent a new and potentially serious risk associated with raw milk. Research suggests the virus can be transmitted from infected dairy cattle into milk, where it can reach high concentrations and remain detectable in refrigerated raw milk for up to five weeks.

“Nearly half of illnesses caused by raw dairy consumption occur in people under age 20 — and a significant share of those cases are in children under 5,” says Adam J. Ratner, lead author. “These illnesses can be severe and lead to life-threatening complications. Pasteurization — a safe, effective process of heating and cooling milk before consumption that has been used for more than a century — dramatically reduces the risks without taking away the nutritional value families rely on.”

Policy statements created by AAP are written by medical experts, reflect the latest evidence in the field and go through several rounds of peer review before being approved by the AAP board of directors and published in Pediatrics. This policy statement updates guidance last provided in 2014 and reaffirmed in 2025.

Despite well-documented health risks, the sale and distribution of raw milk products remain legal in at least 27 states, AAP says. During the 2024 U.S. dairy outbreak, infectious H5N1 virus was detected in nearly one-quarter of raw milk samples in affected areas. While there are no confirmed human cases of H5N1 infection from consuming raw milk to date, it remains a credible, emerging threat.

Unpasteurized milk already is a well-documented source of serious pathogens including Listeria, E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter and Brucella. These infections can lead to hospitalization, life-threatening illness, miscarriage and death, particularly in young children, pregnant people and those with weakened immune systems, AAP notes, adding that those who are pregnant face especially high risks from foodborne infections. The incidence of listeriosis, for example, is estimated to be 12 to 14 times higher during pregnancy than in the general population. Infection can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery or severe illness in newborns.

“Parents may choose raw milk because they have heard it is healthier or more natural, but the scientific evidence tells a different story,” says Mark R. Corkins,
co-author of the policy statement. “Pasteurized dairy products provide the same essential nutrients without exposing children and families to preventable infections from dangerous bacteria and viruses. For infants, children and pregnant people, pasteurized dairy products are clearly the safest choice.”

To read the full updated policy statement, visit https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/doi/10.1542/peds.2026-079036/210736/Consumption-of-Unpasteurized-Raw-Milk-and-Milk.

CMN

August U.S. cheese production rises 1.4% from one year ago

October 9, 2026

WASHINGTON — August U.S. cheese production, excluding cottage cheese, totaled 1.245 billion pounds, up 1.4% from the 1.228 billion pounds produced in August 2025, according to data released this week by USDA’s Natural Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). August cheese production was down 1.4% from the 1.263 billion pounds produced in July. (All figures are rounded. Please see CMN’s Dairy Production chart.)

Italian-type cheese production in August totaled 541.3 million pounds, up 3.7% from August 2025. Production of Mozzarella, the largest component of Italian-type cheese production, totaled 420.9 million pounds in August, up 1.8% from a year earlier.

American-type cheese production in August totaled 477.0 million pounds, down 0.9% from August 2025. Production of Cheddar, the largest component of American-type cheese, totaled 325.9 million pounds, down 0.9% from August 2025.

Wisconsin was the leading cheese-producing state with 303.1 million pounds produced in August, up 2.4% from August 2025. California followed with 197.0 million pounds produced in August, down 6.6% from a year earlier.

U.S. production of butter totaled 187.4 million pounds in August, up 6.3% from 176.3 million pounds a year ago. August butter production was down 0.9% from July. California was the leading butter-producing state with 57.2 million pounds produced in August, up 6.6% from August 2025.

CMN

Today's Cheese Spot Trading
October 27, 2026

Barrels: $1.7200 (NC)
Blocks: $1.7400 (+1)

Click here for more market activity

Oaxaca — the
stringiest melting cheese

Arturo Nava, Hispanic Cheese Makers-Nuestro Queso

A bigger world for U.S. cheese

Melissa Bischoff, Ever.Ag

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