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.
Visit the page of the
Farm-gate milk prices, US
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)
|
US: Cow's Milk Productions
Cow's Milk (tons x 1000) |
|
Month
|
2011 |
2016 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
2026 |
± % on
2025
|
± % on
2024
|
| January |
7.437 |
8.019 |
8.785 |
8.643 |
8.763 |
8.658 |
8.706 |
9.004 |
+3,4%
|
+4,0%
|
| February |
6.838 |
7.665 |
8.024 |
7.948 |
8.039 |
8.251 |
8.050 |
8.280(p) |
+2,9%
|
+0,4%
|
| March |
7.707 |
8.346 |
8.982 |
8.941 |
8.988 |
8.925 |
9.038 |
|
|
|
| April |
7.556 |
8.143 |
8.779 |
8.683 |
8.712 |
8.661 |
8.814 |
|
|
|
| May |
7.838 |
8.442 |
9.008 |
8.959 |
9.007 |
8.903 |
9.116 |
|
|
|
| June |
7.491 |
8.062 |
8.593 |
8.581 |
8.595 |
8.446 |
8.734 |
|
|
|
| July |
7.474 |
8.120 |
8.666 |
8.702 |
8.608 |
8.583 |
8.939 |
|
|
|
| August |
7.450 |
8.021 |
8.493 |
8.617 |
8.535 |
8.577 |
8.872 |
|
|
|
| September |
7.158 |
7.701 |
8.175 |
8.272 |
8.242 |
8.285 |
8.592 |
|
|
|
| October |
7.381 |
7.961 |
8.445 |
8.533 |
8.452 |
8.512 |
8.831 |
|
|
|
| November |
7.176 |
7.768 |
8.174 |
8.251 |
8.184 |
8.158 |
8.529 |
|
|
|
| December |
7.516 |
8.098 |
8.522 |
8.571 |
8.529 |
8.504 |
8.858 |
|
|
|
| Jan-Feb |
14.275 |
15.684 |
16.809 |
16.592 |
16.802 |
16.909 |
16.756 |
17.284 |
| % y-o-y ¹ |
+6,3%
|
+9,9% |
+7,2%
|
-1,3%
|
+1,3%
|
+0,6%
|
-0,9%
|
+3,2%
|
| Total Year |
89.021 |
96.346 |
102.646 |
102.702 |
102.654 |
102.463 |
105.079 |
| % y-o-y ¹ |
+8,0%
|
+8,2%
|
+6,5%
|
+0,1% |
0,0% |
-0,2% |
+2,6% |
|
Last Update: 25-03-2026 |
1) change from the same period of previous year , except for years
2011, 2016, 2021, 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
|
|
US: Cow's Milk Productions
Cow's Milk * (Mln of pounds) |
|
Month
|
2011 |
2016 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
2026 |
± % on
2025
|
± % on
2024
|
| January |
16.396 |
17.679 |
19.368 |
19.055 |
19.318 |
19.087 |
19.194 |
19.850 |
+3,4%
|
+4,0%
|
| February |
15.075 |
16.898 |
17.690 |
17.523 |
17.723 |
18.190 |
17.746 |
18.255(p) |
+2,9%
|
+0,4%
|
| March |
16.990 |
18.399 |
19.801 |
19.711 |
19.815 |
19.677 |
19.925 |
|
|
|
| April |
16.657 |
17.952 |
19.354 |
19.143 |
19.207 |
19.093 |
19.432 |
|
|
|
| May |
17.279 |
18.612 |
19.859 |
19.751 |
19.856 |
19.628 |
20.097 |
|
|
|
| June |
16.514 |
17.773 |
18.945 |
18.917 |
18.949 |
18.621 |
19.254 |
|
|
|
| July |
16.478 |
17.902 |
19.104 |
19.184 |
18.977 |
18.921 |
19.706 |
|
|
|
| August |
16.425 |
17.684 |
18.723 |
18.998 |
18.817 |
18.908 |
19.560 |
|
|
|
| September |
15.780 |
16.977 |
18.022 |
18.236 |
18.171 |
18.265 |
18.942 |
|
|
|
| October |
16.272 |
17.550 |
18.618 |
18.812 |
18.633 |
18.765 |
19.469 |
|
|
|
| November |
15.820 |
17.126 |
18.021 |
18.191 |
18.042 |
17.985 |
18.804 |
|
|
|
| December |
16.569 |
17.853 |
18.788 |
18.895 |
18.803 |
18.749 |
19.529 |
|
|
|
| Jan-Feb |
31.471 |
34.577 |
37.058 |
36.578 |
37.041 |
37.277 |
36.940 |
38.105 |
| % y-o-y ¹ |
+6,3%
|
+9,9% |
+7,2%
|
-1,3%
|
+1,3%
|
+0,6%
|
-0,9%
|
+3,2%
|
| Total Year |
196.255 |
212.405 |
226.293 |
226.416 |
226.311 |
225.889 |
231.658 |
| % y-o-y ¹ |
+8,0%
|
+8,2%
|
+6,5%
|
+0,1% |
0,0% |
-0,2% |
+2,6% |
|
Last Update: 25-03-2026 |
1) change from the same period of previous year , except for years
2011, 2016, 2021, 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
|
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