WASHINGTON — December production of nonfat dry milk was down 19% from a year earlier while production of skim milk powders was up 16%, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in its latest Dairy Products Report.

Nonfat dry milk production was 126,440,000 lbs, up 25% from November but down 19% from December 2008. Output of skim milk powders, meanwhile, was 20,712,000 lbs, up 9% from November and up 16% from the previous year.

Manufacturers’ stocks of edible nonfat dry milk were 130,771,000 lbs, up 15% from the previous month but down 34% from the pervious year.

Total dry whey production was 91,158,000 lbs, up 6% from November and nearly equal to levels in December 2008. Production of lactose was 64,243,000 lbs, up 4% from November and up 6% from December 2008. Production of whey protein concentrate totaled 35,314,000 lbs, up 2% from November but down 2% from December 2008. Dry buttermilk outturn was 8,718,000 lbs, up 32% from the previous month and up 39% from the previous year.

Total manufacturers’ stocks of dry whey on Dec. 31 were 46,604,000 lbs, down 29% from the previous year, including 45,267,000 lbs for human use, down 28%, and 1,337,000 lbs for animal use, down 58%. Whey protein concentrate stocks totaled 38,917,000, up 6% from the previous year. Dry buttermilk stocks were 10,302,000 lbs, up 3% from a year ago.

Butter production in December was 149,630,000 lbs, up 24% from November but down 4% from December 2009.

Cheese production in December totaled 861,988,000 lbs, up 2% from November but down slightly from December 2008.

Production of regular hard ice cream totaled 49,931,000 gallons, down 7% from the previous year. Low-fat ice cream production was 23,111,000 gallons, up 6% from December 2008.