Class I interest was in the usual erratic retail pattern depending on feature activity. Fluid usage to institutions is steady to just slightly higher as more schools open each week for the new season. Class II interest, outside of ice cream, is steady to heavier where various products are featured. Ice cream production is steady to generally lighter seasonally. Cream users have little problem in acquiring extra cream as needed. Most ice cream operations are adjusting production schedules to fill gaps in inventory and still try to work inventory levels down as much as possible.

Class III milk interest was spotty with some handlers receiving extra calls while others are about steady. On a limited test, spot manufacturing milk prices were about steady. Handlers are also working to meet the pooling requirements under various federal orders for August. Increased temperatures, along with higher humidity, caused just minimal declines in milk receipts in most upper-tier states. Milk components probably saw a more sustained decline from the recent heat. Handlers are hoping for milk shipments to build to the south in order to reduce the volumes of milk being manufactured. Most plants in the upper Midwest continue to operate on unseasonably heavy schedules. Further south in the region, manufacturing schedules are closer to expected late summer levels.

Most winter wheat has been harvested in upper-tier states, allowing for some manure hauling. Corn and soybean maturity continues to lag normal.  PD