Butter Market News
Explore the latest butter production news from Dairy Herd Management. Covering butter export trends, CME price shifts, processing innovations, and dairy production strategies to help producers maximize milk component value. View the latest butter CME prices.
Cheese and Class III futures rallied on stronger spot prices, even as rising trade tensions with China and looming tariffs stirred market uncertainty.
After weeks of heavy spot trade, Monday brought a calmer, mostly green day to dairy markets, with cheese leading the rebound despite ongoing tariff tensions and early futures pressure.
Class III milk futures slipped lower Wednesday as China’s 34% reciprocal tariffs sent shockwaves through whey, soybeans, cattle, energy, and stock markets.
There was red almost across the board today as the market finally got a little clarity around tariffs following yesterday’s announcement.
Global price disparities and anticipation surrounding President Trump’s tariff announcement kept the industry on edge.
After yesterday’s muted session, CME cheese markets had a much busier day today.
Technical difficulties delayed the CME spot trade on Monday, preventing a smooth spot trade.
Across the dairy complex, sellers came armed with product to move and buyers had their checkbooks out.
Class III futures were slightly lower after a spot cheese session that saw large volumes of product change hands.
Manufacturers appear to have ample supply, leading them to the spot market to offload inventory.
Dairy markets do not seem too concerned about U.S. milk production growing at its fastest pace in two years.
Futures markets had a tame day ahead of USDA’s Milk Production report.
As the first major day of the NCAA March Madness tournament kicked off on Thursday with heroes, upsets and Cinderella teams, markets had their own version.
Low prices triggered buyer interest in spot blocks, which climbed up to $1.6050 per pound, three cents higher, with seven loads trading.
Class III futures are down again, with May taking the biggest hit, down 25 cents on the day.
There is no doubt there will be significant volatility this year. Politics, equity markets, weather, supply, and demand will all affect the markets
A strong pinch is in order for dairy markets this Saint Patrick’s Day, with no green on the board.
CME cheese markets moved upward. Spot blocks climbed to $1.7350 per pound, up 3 cents, and barrels closed at $1.7300, 6 cents higher.
Last week, the U.S. dollar had the worst week-to-week performance since 1995 and that, combined with global dairy price premiums, should spark some export interest and support domestic prices.
It was a noisy week with tariff uncertainty, and the markets remain on edge to see what next week brings.
U.S. cheese exports got off to a strong start in 2025, with outbound volumes totaling 103 million pounds in January, up 22% (+18 million pounds) on the year.
Cheese and butter are clear deals in the export space — but some traders indicate that tariff uncertainty has given them a reason to pause on what would normally be lucrative purchases.
U.S. tariffs are in full effect with Canada, Mexico and China, contributing to the already heavy atmosphere.
Tariffs set to take effect tomorrow may have contributed to market movement, while increased cheese production capacity continues to weigh on the outlook.
After what had been a pretty quiet month, the spot cheese market finished February with a thud.
The on-again, off-again rollercoaster in terms of trade and tariff headlines continued today, following an early morning post from President Trump.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s appointment as Secretary of Health and Human Services has some farmers wondering—will he be a champion for real dairy or a source of controversy? With his strong support for whole milk but a divisive stance on raw milk, his impact on the industry is still up for debate.
Class III futures are still trading at a discount to current spot prices, indicating an expectation of a significant spot market break.
Class III futures tumbled further, with the March contract down 31 cents to $18.70 per hundredweight and Q2 futures settling at $18.33, a 23-cent loss.