159, up 3 cents from a week earlier. Export demand is off, reflecting Europe s hoof and mouth scare. Also the reports are out that South America s feed grain crop is very good. Despite the continued exodus of dairies around the country, replacement prices are strong. Milk production is steady to declining in the Northeast as producers leave dairying, and cow numbers decline.
Fluid supplies are lighter and manufacturing plants are nearly idle.
In the Southeast, production increases are slowing as temperatures increase. Florida is actually exporting milk. Class I demand is steady in the South, but manufacturing plants are not busy. There is a lot of manufacturing capacity available in the Northeast and South. Fluid prices are firm in the East.