Wisconsin Cheese Production Fell in April

Wisconsin Ag Connection - Wisconsin cheese plants made less product during April when compared to the same month a year earlier. According to the latest dairy product summary from the USDA, the state produced 266.8 million pounds of cheese in April. That was 4.6 percent less than last year, and 6.6 percent lower than this past March (which had more days on the calendar).

Nationally, about 1.07 billion pounds of cheese was produced in the United States in April. That was a 1.7 percent decrease from 2019 and 5.1 percent lower than the 1.12 billion manufactured during the previous month.

Wisconsin's production of American cheese increased as the state produced 90.1 million pounds, about 7.0 percent more than last year, and 4.5 percent above last month's production. Cheddar output also rose 7.5 percent compared to 2019 to total 65 million pounds, and went up 6.6 percent from the month earlier. Italian cheese production was at 130.4 million pounds, about 9.0 percent below last year, and 9.6 percent lower for the month. And Mozzarella produced in Wisconsin totaled 81.4 million pounds--about 12.7 percent less than April 2019, and 14.2 percent below March 2020.

Dry Whey output in Wisconsin was recorded at 22.3 million pounds, which was up 3.9 percent from last year, but 13.4 percent lower compared to last month.

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