Cooperative Extension-Madison M ilk production compared to last year has been up, on daily basis, each month. The increases have been due to increases in milk per cow that more than offset declines in milk cow numbers. T his increase in milk production is coming from the southwest, west and northwest.
Milk production is lower in other regions.
T he Upper Midwest on the other hand, continues to experience a loss in milk production. T he eastern states also experience lower than a year ago milk production. But much of the strong increase in milk production in states like California, Idaho and Washington is going into increased cheese production. C heese sales have been some what sluggish and cheese inventories at the plant level have increased in the west and northwest. Because of lower farm level milk costs in these regions cheese plants in the west and northwest are offering cheese nationally at very competitive prices.