The U.S. Dairy Export Council says improved sales of nonfat dry milk/skim milk powder and cheese helped U.S. dairy exports rebound above year-ago levels for the first time since last October.

Shipment volumes were two percent higher than 2018, totaling more than 170,000 tons, with values up 17 percent to nearly $509 million.

Nonfat dry milk/skim milk powder exports were up 25 percent from last year and reached a 16-month higher, with major increases seen in Southeast Asia and Mexico.  Cheese exports were 12 percent higher than 2018.  Shipments of fluid milk/cream were up 10 percent.

September exports were down for whole milk powder (-49 percent), butterfat (-42 percent), milk protein concentrate (-14 percent), whey (-11 percent), and lactose (-7 percent).