U.S. dairy suppliers were on track to ship $5 billion in exports in 2012
Through the first 10 months of 2012, the volume of major products increased a combined 5.5 percent to more than 2.8 billion lbs.
At year-end, with November and December data still unreported, U.S. dairy suppliers were on track to ship $5 billion in exports for the first time. Through the first 10 months of 2012, the volume of major products increased a combined 5.5 percent to more than 2.8 billion lbs. Although growth had softened in recent months, U.S. cheese and whey protein concentrate were poised to shatter volume records, and nonfat dry milk/skim milk powder was tracking at or near record levels.
For the second consecutive year, U.S. export volume accounted for more than 13 percent of total milk solids produced in the United States.
“Such numbers would represent a solid performance in any year. But the fact that the industry posted them in 2012 is a clear indication of the United States’ growing maturity as a world dairy player,” says Tom Suber, president, U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC). USDEC, funded primarily by U.S. dairy farmers through their checkoff investment, is the leading organization in building U.S. overseas market development and sales.