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More Milkfat, Skim Solids Being Used In Cheese, Less In Fluid Milk

Between 2000 and 2017, the percentage of the US milkfat and skim-solids supplies used in cheese has risen while the percentages used in fluid milk have declined, according to figures from USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS).

ERS recently released a new data set that includes comprehensive estimated supply and allocation breakouts of milkfat and skim solids for dairy products from 2000 through 2017. During that period, the US milkfat supply increased from 6.2 billion pounds to 8.3 billion pounds, while the skim-solids supply rose from 14.7 billion pounds to 19.2 billion pounds.

For this data set, the total milkfat supply includes the milkfat of domestic milk production plus the milkfat of imported dairy products assumed to be used as ingredients in domestically produced dairy products, while the total skim-solids supply includes the skim solids of domestic milk production plus the skim solids of imported dairy products assumed to be used as ingredients in domestically produced dairy products.

During the 2000-2017 period, US cheese production increased from 8.3 billion pounds to 12.64 billion pounds. The milkfat used in cheese during that period increased from 2.3 billion pounds to 3.5 billion pounds, and accounted for 37.7 percent of the total milkfat supply in 2000 and 42.5 percent of the total milkfat supply in 2017 The milkfat content of cheese declined from 28.3 percent in 2000 to 28.0 percent in 2017.

The skim solids used in cheese increased from 2.3 billion pounds in 2000 to 3.6 billion pounds in 2017, and cheese accounted for 18.6 percent of the US skim solids supply in 2017, up from 15.5 percent in 2000. The skim solids content of cheese increased from 27.6 percent in 2000 to 28.3 percent in 2017.

Fluid (beverage) milk sales declined from 55.5 billion pounds in 2000 to 48.6 billion pounds in 2017, and they also accounted for less milkfat and skim solids use at the end of that period than at the beginning.

Specifically, the milkfat used in fluid milk declined from 1.12 billion pounds in 2000 to 983.9 million pounds in 2017 (although it increased three straight years after reaching a low of 956.3 million pounds in 2014), and fluid milk accounted for 11.8 percent of the total milkfat supply in 2017, down from 18.1 percent in 2000.

The average milkfat content of fluid milk in 2017, 2.02 percent, was unchanged from 2000.

Fluid milk remains the leading user of skim solids, but the use of skim solids in fluid milk products has been declining as sales have fallen.

Specifically, the skim solids used in fluid milk fell from just under 5 billion pounds in 2000 to 4.4 billion pounds in 2017, and fluid mlk accounted for 23.1 percent of the skim solids supply in 2017, down from 33.8 percent in 2000.

The average skim solids content of fluid milk increased from 8.95 percent in 2000 to 9.12 percent in 2017.

Butter production increased from 1.26 billion pounds in 2000 to 1.85 billion pounds in 2017, and during that period butter went
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