March Busiest CWT Month to Date
April 8, 2013
March was the most active month in the first quarter of 2013 for Cooperatives Working Together (CWT), with 196 requests from member cooperatives for export assistance. It was also the top month in the first three months of 2013 in terms of bids accepted (103) and pounds of butter receiving export assistance (24.9 million pounds). In addition, assistance was provided on 16.9 million pounds of American-type cheeses and 44,092 pounds of anhydrous milk fat (AMF).
The March activity brought the total amount of CWT-assisted exports in the first quarter of 2013 to 47 million pounds of cheese, 46.5 million pounds of butter, 44,092 pounds of AMF and 218,258 pounds of whole milk powder. The products will go to 30 countries on six continents.
These exports are equal to 1.45 billion pounds of milk production on a milkfat basis. That meant CWT-assisted exports in just the first quarter of 2013 covered 90% of the USDA projected increase in milk production in 2013 for the entire year.
Because a significant portion of the amount budgeted to assist butterfat exports has been committed, effective immediately, CWT is limiting the butter bids it will consider for export assistance to the target areas in the business plan – the Middle East and North Africa. In addition, until further notice, CWT will no longer consider bids for export assistance on AMF. This will allow CWT to make the most effective use of the remaining funds available.
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