American butter export to EU increases rapidly

The American butter export to the EU is rapidly increasing this year. This is evident from preliminary data provided by the USDEC, the U.S. dairy export council. In the first seven months of 2025, more than 260 times as much butter was sent to the EU compared to the same period in 2024. In particular, in July of this year, the export surged quickly. The cause of the rapidly rising export is the large price difference between European and American butter and butter oil. Even after accounting for significant European import tariffs, it was still profitable to import butter into the EU, but these tariffs can often be legally circumvented through the route of 'active refinement'. In this process, volumes of product can be exchanged. Up to and including July of this year, 8,366 tons of butter have been exported from the U.S. to the EU compared to 32 tons in the same period of 2024. Thus, the EU has been the third export destination for American milk fat this year, after Canada and Mexico. Last year, the EU hardly registered at all. Even in the months following July, a lot of American butter has been sent to the EU, but no figures are available for that yet. The Netherlands is a major buyer with over 1,300 tons in July. The EU has this year almost from scratch become the third export destination for American butter. Cheese The American cheese export has also increased significantly. Up to and including July, it reached 346,112 tons. Europe ranks twelfth as an export destination, with 2,014 tons. Last year, up to and including July, 533 tons of cheese from the U.S. went to the EU. Although this year, much more cheese went to the EU, there is no clear and increasing pattern in the export to be observed. By far, most cheese from the U.S. goes to Mexico, a number of Asian destinations, and to Central and South America.