The dairy checkoff partner increased the amount of cheese by 25% through a project with Dairy Management Inc.

Domestic consumption of dairy products has been strong throughout 2015 and has helped to offset both increased milk production and declining U.S. exports, reports the National Milk Producers Federation.

More milk is flowing toward cheese plants than most people would have expected for the first full week of January. And, increased cheese imports are challenging domestic cheese production.  

Total cheese output (excluding cottage cheese) was 871 million pounds, 0.3 percent above September 2011 but 1.9 percent below August 2012.