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US: Cow's milk production

This page contains:
  • two graphs showing monthly production of cow's Milk in US over the last three years;
  • a chart comparing data for the annual production of cow's milk in the US and price trends for farm-gate milk (converted into Euros) over a given time period;
  • two tables giving us an overview of annual production, expressed in both tonnes and pounds, over a given period.

Farm Indicators»

N.B.:

Milk production in the United States has increased significantly over the past 20 years. The US production structure has undergone significant changes from the 1990s to the present day, with a sharp decrease in the number of dairy cows and producers. On the contrary, the quantity produced per capita has grown significantly (up 60% compared to the early 1980s) thanks, in particular, to technological advances, genetic research and business management improvements.

The type of business has also changed: the number of small and medium-sized businesses has decreased significantly while the number of large companies (those with over 500 head of cattle) has grown, accounting for almost 50% of the country's total milk production.

The companies tend to be located in States where the conditions for dairy production are better: California, Wisconsin, New York, Pennsylvania, Idaho, Minnesota, New Mexico, Michigan, Texas and Washington guarantee 71% of the entire national production.
The companies expand their production mainly in the Western US States, where there are four general factors that appeal to producers:
  • availability of land and water,
  • infrastructure,
  • a favourable climate,
  • optimised business management practices.
Together with best business management practices, the opportunity to use land that is far away from residential areas (due to low competition for land use) has significantly reduced farm-gate milk production costs, especially in California.
Production costs have been considerably lowered thanks to the following factors in particular:
  • the presence of major infrastructures (services, technical support, livestock assistance),
  • the enhancement of production efficiency (in-house production versus outsourcing),
  • the quality of animal feeds,
  • favourable federal legislation within these particular States,
  • tax incentives.
The market impact of competitive prices in western regions has also affected producers throughout the rest of the country.

(May 2010)
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USA: Milk Supply
MONTHLY MOVING AVERAGE
LAST 12 MONTHS LAST 6 MONTHS LAST 2 MONTHS
Month 2009 2014 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 ± % on
2023
± % on
2022
January 7.313 7.840 8.442 8.562 8.785 8.643 8.758 8.655 -1,2% +0,1%
February 6.685 7.215 7.696 8.119 8.024 7.948 8.037 8.212(p) +2,2% +3,3%
March 7.471 8.087 8.549 8.798 8.982 8.941 8.986
April 7.317 7.929 8.362 8.466 8.779 8.683 8.711
May 7.617 8.207 8.646 8.609 9.008 8.959 9.005
June 7.225 7.858 8.268 8.346 8.593 8.581 8.595
July 7.263 7.908 8.337 8.500 8.666 8.702 8.612
August 7.136 7.813 8.289 8.451 8.493 8.617 8.540
September 6.822 7.491 7.983 8.178 8.175 8.272 8.247
October 6.992 7.743 8.227 8.441 8.445 8.533 8.457
November 6.831 7.507 7.937 8.217 8.174 8.251 8.188
December 7.150 7.863 8.346 8.605 8.522 8.571 8.543
Jan-Feb 13.998 15.055 16.138 16.681 16.809 16.592 16.795 16.867
% y-o-y ¹ +10,2% +7,6% +7,2% +3,4% +0,8% -1,3% +1,2% +0,4%
Total Year 85.821 93.462 99.084 101.292 102.646 102.702 102.678
% y-o-y ¹ +10,8% +8,9% +6,0% +2,2% +1,3% +0,1% 0,0%
Last Update: 21-03-2024
1) change from the same period of previous year , except for years 2009, 2014, 2019, where the change is from the same period 5 years ago
(p) = provisional
Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service
 
Min Production in the last 5 years
 
Max Production in the last 5 years
Month 2009 2014 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 ± % on
2023
± % on
2022
January 16.123 17.284 18.612 18.875 19.368 19.055 19.308 19.080 -1,2% +0,1%
February 14.738 15.907 16.966 17.900 17.690 17.523 17.718 18.105(p) +2,2% +3,3%
March 16.471 17.829 18.847 19.395 19.801 19.711 19.811
April 16.130 17.480 18.435 18.665 19.354 19.143 19.204
May 16.792 18.094 19.062 18.980 19.859 19.751 19.852
June 15.928 17.323 18.228 18.400 18.945 18.917 18.948
July 16.011 17.435 18.379 18.740 19.104 19.184 18.985
August 15.732 17.224 18.275 18.630 18.723 18.998 18.828
September 15.039 16.514 17.600 18.030 18.022 18.236 18.181
October 15.415 17.071 18.138 18.609 18.618 18.812 18.645
November 15.060 16.551 17.499 18.115 18.021 18.191 18.051
December 15.763 17.334 18.400 18.970 18.788 18.895 18.833
Jan-Feb 30.861 33.191 35.578 36.775 37.058 36.578 37.026 37.185
% y-o-y ¹ +10,2% +7,6% +7,2% +3,4% +0,8% -1,3% +1,2% +0,4%
Total Year 189.202 206.046 218.441 223.309 226.293 226.416 226.364
% y-o-y ¹ +10,8% +8,9% +6,0% +2,2% +1,3% +0,1% 0,0%
Last Update: 21-03-2024
1) change from the same period of previous year , except for years 2009, 2014, 2019, where the change is from the same period 5 years ago
*: Conversion: 1 Kg = 2.2046 Pounds
(p) = provisional
Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service
 
Min Production in the last 5 years
 
Max Production in the last 5 years