State totals are not published when fewer than 3 firms have reported or one
firm comprises more than 60 percent of the State total.  If we are not able to
publish a region for confidentiality reasons, it will be combined with other
regions when possible.  For example, if North Atlantic can not be published,
then it will be combined with South Atlantic to publish Atlantic.  The West
North Central and East North Central will be combined, if necessary, to form
North Central. In the event that neither could be published, they will be
combined with South Central to publish Central.  Some tables will have only one
or two regions shown, therefore the regions may not add to the United States
total.

Procedures and Reliability:  Estimates included in this report are based on
data  provided each month by manufacturers of these products.  In 32 States,
the State Departments of Agriculture assist in collection of data, which
eliminates duplicate reporting and reduces respondent burden.  Data are
collected by mail, personal and telephone interviews following the close of
each month.  There were 1,340 manufacturers that made one or more products in
1998.  Each month, reports are generally received from all dairy plants in
States with small numbers of plants.  In States with large numbers of plants,
survey procedures are designed to obtain monthly reports from all large plants
and from a sample of small plants. Monthly estimates are based upon returns
from about 70 percent of the plants which account for 70 to 90 percent of the
total production of major dairy products.
 
Revision Policy: Monthly production estimates are subject to revision the month
following the preliminary estimates.  Annual revisions are also published in
the Dairy Products report published each April.  In preparing the annual
report, an attempt is made to get information from all plants.