# Dairy Situation and Outlook, December 19, 2018

> Dairy marketers expect December Class III to average about $13.85, bringing the 2018 average to roughly $14.60, the lowest of the past four years. Class IV averaged about $14.20 for the year, and CME butter, barrel cheese and block prices were expected to fall slightly in December. Milk output rose only 0.6% to 0.7% in October and November, while fluid milk sales declined 2.2% through October.

- Date: 2018-12-19 · published 2018-12-19T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: market · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/61718-dairy-situation-and-outlook-december-19-2018
- Commodities: [Milk (Class III)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/MILK.md)

## Why it matters

Lower spot butter, cheese and Class III prices point to weaker milk values heading into 2019, reducing the cash flow available to dairy producers. Slowing fluid milk consumption adds to the bearish demand outlook.

## Read by commodity

- MILK: bearish ▼

## Sources

- hoards.com: https://hoards.com/article-24619-dairy-situation-and-outlook-december-19-2018.html

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.