Wisconsin cheese plants made more product during August when compared to the same month a year earlier. According to the latest dairy product summary from the USDA, the state produced 294 million pounds of cheese in August. That was 5.1 percent more than last year, and 0.8 percent higher than this past July.

Nationally, about 1.14 billion pounds of cheese was produced in the United States in August. That was a 4.4 percent increase from 2020, but a 0.3 percent drop compared to the amount manufactured during the previous month.

Wisconsin’s production of American cheese increased as the state produced 89 million pounds, about 2.9 percent more than last year, but 3.3 percent below last month’s production. Cheddar output fell 0.7 percent compared to 2020 to total 59.9 million pounds, and went down 6.0 percent from the month earlier. Italian cheese production was at 141 million pounds, about 9.3 percent above last year, but 0.4 percent lower for the month. And Mozzarella produced in Wisconsin totaled 92.9 million pounds–up 7.0 percent from August 2020, and 2.7 percent more than July 2021.

Dry Whey output in Wisconsin was recorded at 24.1 million pounds, which was up 9.1 percent from last year, but 3.0 percent lower compared to last month.

Wisconsin Ag Connection – 10/05/2021