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US: dairy sector

This page contains data regarding key components of the United States dairy industry over a given time period.

The purpose of this report is two-fold:

  • on the one hand, it highlights the complexity of the industry, which should be considered from several viewpoints:
    the commodities area, the variety of dairy derivatives, imports, exports and domestic consumption;

  • on the other hand, it exemplifies the framework of a market that equates large domestic consumption figures (supported by import volumes) to large production figures.

US: DAIRY SECTOR
  x 1.000 ton
RAW MATERIAL AREA 2021 2022 2023 2024 2024 2025 % Period
Farms ('000) 1.960 1.901 1.897 1.882
Number of cows ('000 head) 9.386 9.405 9.344 9.360 9.338 9.396 +0,6% Jan-May 2025
Cow's milk production 102.646 102.702 102.654 102.453 43.386 43.585 +0,5% Jan-May 2025
± % Over the same period of the previous year +0,1% 0,0% -0,2%
Farm-gate milk price € x 100 Kg ** 34,59 53,13 41,49 45,94 42,09 45,82 +8,9% Jan-May 2025
± % Over the same period of the previous year +53,6% -21,9% +10,7%
Corn price (North West Iowa, IA) (€\Ton) 194,4 267,0 214,1 155,1 159,6 157,2 (p) -1,5% Jan-Jul 2025
Soybeans price (Western Illinois, IL) (€\Ton) 450,1 571,4 506,8 391,2 421,6 356,9 (p) -15,4% Jan-Jul 2025
DAIRY PRODUCTION 2021 2022 2023 2024 2024 2025 % Period
Liquid milk 20.192 19.708 19.424
Butter 936 934 958 1.014 471 488 +3,7% Jan-May 2025
Cream Sour 677 678 689 702 286 281 -1,8% Jan-May 2025
Cheese 6.242 6.389 6.421 6.463 2.716 2.748 +1,2% Jan-May 2025
Italian Mozzarella 2.040 2.110 2.089 2.172 906 916 +1,2% Jan-May 2025
Cheddar 1.801 1.798 1.856 1.717 728 763 +4,8% Jan-May 2025
Americal Colby & Jack & Monterey 746 775 795 812 334 340 +1,7% Jan-May 2025
Cream & Neufchatel 465 507 495 525 217 211 -3,1% Jan-May 2025
Italian Parmesan & Similar 220 220 222 203 93 100 +6,7% Jan-May 2025
Italian Provolone & Similar 172 168 171 176 73 71 -2,5% Jan-May 2025
Hispanic 160 175 192 197 82 83 +1,4% Jan-May 2025
Swiss 150 159 152 163 77 61 -21,2% Jan-May 2025
Italian Ricotta & Similar 114 112 112 110 45 44 -4,1% Jan-May 2025
Muenster 87 87 92 95
Feta 77 64 66 70 30 28 -6,3% Jan-May 2025
Blue e Gorgonzola 40 42 38 39 17 16 -3,6% Jan-May 2025
Italian Romano & Similar 31 26 23 27 11 11 +2,0% Jan-May 2025
Gouda 26 28 28 36 14 16 +12,3% Jan-May 2025
Brick 0,9 0,7 0,7 0,8
Altri formaggi 114 117 114 119 48 49 +1,2% Jan- 2025
Cottage Cream 154 156 171 191 78 85 +8,8% Jan-May 2025
Cottage Curd 163 164 181 205 82 93 +14,1% Jan-May 2025
Cottage Lowfat 138 133 152 174 71 76 +7,2% Jan-May 2025
WMP (whole milk powder) 67 62 50 51 21 27 +28,1% Jan-May 2025
NDM (skimmed milk powder) 929 887 847 757 369 359 -2,7% Jan-May 2025
SMP (skimmed milk powder) 317 298 313 272 109 83 -24,3% Jan-May 2025
Whey powder 405 415 425 387 172 157 -9,0% Jan-May 2025
Condensed milk (Whole and Skimmed Canned Milk) 249 253
Lactose 509 504 501 503 209 212 +1,3% Jan-May 2025
WPC (Whey Protein Concentrate) 210 205 229 225 96 91 -5,0% Jan-May 2025
WPI 90 (Whey Protein Isolated) 59 59 64 87 35 39 +11,1% Jan-May 2025
Yogurt 2.152 2.026 2.082 2.213 928 992 +6,9% Jan-May 2025
Frozen Yogurt (Mio Litri) 153 144 160 143 61 67 +10,8% Jan-May 2025
Ice cream, regular, hard (Mio Litri) 2.726 2.830 2.657 2.789 1.167 1.143 -2,0% Jan-May 2025
Ice cream lowfat, total (Mio Litri) 1.808 1.687 1.707 1.559 679 651 -4,0% Jan-May 2025
Ice cream, lowfat, hard (Mio Litri) 865 823 860 788 342 339 -1,1% Jan-May 2025
Ice cream, lowfat, soft (Mio Litri) 943 863 846 771 337 313 -7,0% Jan-May 2025
Ice cream, nonfat, hard (Mio Litri) 25 32 30 23 9,7 9,0 -7,1% Jan-May 2025
EXPORT 2021 2022 2023 2024 2024 2025 % Period
Bulk and pack. milk (HS 040110+040120)
TOP importers
120 122 103 114 45 46 +4,1% Jan-May 2025
Cream (HS 040130+040140+040150)
TOP importers
26 28 37 40 15 16 +8,0% Jan-May 2025
Condensed milk (HS 040291+040299)
TOP importers
16 20 22 18 8,1 11 +31,1% Jan-May 2025
Butter (HS 0405)
TOP importers
57 69 36 47 15 40 +173,0% Jan-May 2025
of which:
Anhydrous Milk Fat (HS 040590)
TOP importers
13 16 6,1 14 2,9 15 +428,6% Jan-May 2025
Cheese (HS 0406)
TOP importers
404 454 435 514 227 244 +7,3% Jan-May 2025
SMP (skimmed milk powder - HS 040210)
TOP importers
880 837 809 744 316 273 -13,5% Jan-May 2025
WMP (whole milk powder - HS 040221+040229)
TOP importers
39 39 26 25 10 13 +30,2% Jan-May 2025
Whey powder (HS 0404)
TOP importers
592 663 534 560 239 224 -6,3% Jan-May 2025
of which:
Sweet dairy Whey (12% protein) e WPC (HS 040410)
TOP importers
551 615 490 515 219 202 -7,5% Jan-May 2025
Casein (HS 350110)
TOP importers
1,8 2,1 1,1 6,1 2,2 2,8 +25,3% Jan-May 2025
Caseinates (HS 350190)
TOP importers
2,1 2,5 2,6 3,3 1,3 2,9 +128,3% Jan-May 2025
Lactose pharmaceutical (HS 170211)
TOP importers
322 413 434 409 168 160 -4,8% Jan-May 2025
Lactose edible (HS 170299)
TOP importers
69 40 37 24 8,5 9,9 +16,2% Jan-May 2025
Infant milk formula (HS 190110)
TOP importers
28 29 28 25 11 11 +3,0% Jan-May 2025
Yogurt e latticello (HS 0403)
TOP importers
41 41 48 61 24 28 +13,4% Jan-May 2025
Fat-Filled Milk Powder (FFMP) (HS 190190)
TOP importers
162 175 168 162 66 73 +10,5% Jan-May 2025
Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) (HS 350220)
TOP importers
65 65 76 89 36 39 +8,5% Jan-May 2025
IMPORT 2021 2022 2023 2024 2024 2025 % Period
Bulk and pack. milk (HS 040110+040120)
TOP exporters
35 26 24 24 10 11 +8,3% Jan-May 2025
Cream (HS 040130+040140+040150)
TOP exporters
19 32 58 54 17 21 +22,6% Jan-May 2025
Condensed milk (HS 040291+040299)
TOP exporters
23 37 37 48 20 21 +3,3% Jan-May 2025
Butter (HS 0405)
TOP exporters
63 73 81 109 44 38 -12,7% Jan-May 2025
of which:
Anhydrous Milk Fat (HS 040590)
TOP exporters
14 21 19 21 12 9,3 -24,9% Jan-May 2025
Cheese (HS 0406)
TOP exporters
188 189 193 215 83 83 +0,7% Jan-May 2025
SMP (skimmed milk powder - HS 040210)
TOP exporters
0,4 0,6 0,8 0,6 0,2 1,1 +533,3% Jan-May 2025
WMP (whole milk powder - HS 040221+040229)
TOP exporters
12 16 14 18 7,2 12 +67,5% Jan-May 2025
Whey powder (HS 0404)
TOP exporters
84 79 81 97 40 41 +1,1% Jan-May 2025
of which:
Sweet dairy Whey (12% protein) e WPC (HS 040410)
TOP exporters
44 44 44 46 19 20 +3,3% Jan-May 2025
Casein (HS 350110)
TOP exporters
53 81 51 38 20 16 -17,8% Jan-May 2025
Caseinates (HS 350190)
TOP exporters
22 24 31 23 8,7 8,7 -0,6% Jan-May 2025
Lactose pharmaceutical (HS 170211)
TOP exporters
2,9 3,2 3,3 3,0 1,1 1,3 +15,0% Jan-May 2025
Lactose edible (HS 170299)
TOP exporters
0,4 0,5 0,8 0,4 0,1 0,1 -44,6% Jan-May 2025
Infant milk formula (HS 190110)
TOP exporters
17 42 40 61 27 30 +14,3% Jan-May 2025
Yogurt e latticello (HS 0403)
TOP exporters
27 35 41 49 20 26 +29,4% Jan-May 2025
Fat-Filled Milk Powder (FFMP) (HS 190190)
TOP exporters
230 255 252 269 108 105 -2,4% Jan-May 2025
Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) (HS 350220)
TOP exporters
14 11 9,9 16 6,9 8,2 +18,5% Jan-May 2025
STOCK (al 31 December) 2021 2022 2023 2024 2024 2025 % Period
Butter 90 98 91 97 172 164 -4,8% May 2025
Cheese (no fresh cheese) 654 656 654 614 651 641 -1,5% May 2025
SMP Human Use 115 116 88 92 114 113 -0,9% May 2025
SMP Animal Use 2,7 3,7 2,8 3,1 4,0 1,3 -67,7% May 2025
WMP (Whole Milk Powder) 11 6,9 5,9 5,6 5,6 10 +86,9% May 2025
Condensed milk (Whole and Skimmed Canned Milk) 21 18 18 19
Whey Powder Human Use 25 31 30 26 27 28 +1,1% May 2025
Whey Powder Animal Use 0,3 0,6 1,8 1,5 1,9 1,3 -33,3% May 2025
WPC 31 37 28 26 26 28 +9,1% May 2025
I° Classification
- WPC Human Use 30 37 27 26 25 27 +11,0% May 2025
- WPC Animal Use 0,7 0,4 0,8 0,7 1,2 0,8 -30,6% May 2025
2° Classification
- WPC 25-49.9% s.s. 11 13 11 9,9 9,6 12 +27,9% May 2025
- WPC 50-89.9% s.s. 21 24 17 16 16 16 -1,9% May 2025
Lactose 76 78 49 48 54 47 -11,9% May 2025
DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION (Source: FAS-USDA) 2021 2022 2023 2024 2024 2025(f) % Period
Cheese 5.964 6.079 6.153 6.178 6.178 6.256 +1,3% Jan-Dec 2025
Butter 981 938 1.011 1.067 1.067 1.162 +8,9% Jan-Dec 2025
SMP 374 354 386 235 235 289 +23,0% Jan-Dec 2025
WMP 33 40 36 48 48 46 -4,2% Jan-Dec 2025
PER CAPITA CONSUMPTIONS (kg) 2021 2022 2023 2024 2024 2025(f) % Period
Cheese 17,53 17,80 17,91  
Butter 2,88 2,75 2,94  
SMP 1,10 1,04 1,12  
WMP 0,10 0,12 0,10  
% Self-sufficiency 100,1% 100,1% 100,1% 100,1%
SOCIO-ECONOMIC INDICATORS 2021 2022 2023 2024 2024 2025(f) % Period
GDP (gross domestic product) 6,06% 2,51% 2,89% 2,80% 2,80% 1,50% Jan-Dic 2025
CPI (consumer price index) 4,70% 8,00% 4,12% 3,00% 3,00% 3,00% Jan-Dic 2025
Population ('000) 340.161 341.534 343.477
GDP per capita (U.S. dollars) 70.160 (e) 76.349 (e) 80.035 (e)
GDP per capita (€) * 59.320(e) 72.502(e) 74.018(e)
(e): estimated
* Per capita GDP in Euro is calculated by using the yearly average exchange rate
(p): partial data
(f): forecast
** Fluid Grade
NOTE:Per capita consumptions are obtained dividing total consumption (Source FAS-USDA ) by the population (Source FAO)

Vedi Metric Conversion Factors
METRIC CONVERSION FACTORS
1 Hectare = 2.4710 Acres; 1 Kilogram = 2.2046 Pounds
1 Metric Ton:=Domestic Unit*Factor
Wheat & Soybeans:=bushels*0.027216
Rice:=cwt*0.045359
Rapeseed & Sunflowerseed:=cwt*0.045359
Corn, Sorghum & Rye:=bushels*0.025401
Barley:=bushels*0.021772
Oats:=bushels*0.014515
Sugar:=short tons*0.907185
Cotton:=480-lb bales*0.217720
UK cwt: in UK CWT is "long hundred weight" (long is equivalent to gross) = 112 lbs, that equals to 50.8024 Kg.
USA cwt : in USA CWT is "short hundred weight" (short is equivalent to net)=100 lbs, that equals to 45.3592 Kg.

Source:
Raw material area: USDA, ERS; Cow's milk production: National Agricultural Statistics Service
Dairy production: National Agricultural Statistics Service and USDA
Export and Import: Census Bureau
Consumption: FAS-USDA
GDP and CPI: Intesa Sanpaolo
GDP per capita: International Monetary Found
Population: FAO
Note: Self-sufficiency rate = Milk deliveries/(Domestic use in milk equivalent ME)
Domestic use in milk equivalent (ME) = Milk deliveries + Import in ME - Export in ME
The Self-sufficiency rate does not consider the trade of FFMP (fat-filled milk powder) - HS 190190 and the infant milk formula.

Last update: 2025-07-08
US: Export on Production
Product 2022 2023 2024 May 2025 Jan-May 2025
Butter 7,4% 3,8% 4,6% 7,9% 8,3%
Cheese 7,1% 6,8% 8,0% 9,2% 8,9%
WMP 62,8% 51,5% 50,4% 95,4% 49,5%
SMP 86,3% 87,0% 88,6% 66,3% 61,9%
Whey 109,1% 80,8% 85,9% 54,0% 62,7%
Lactose 89,8% 94,0% 86,0% 74,2% 80,2%
NOTE:
SMP
: SMP+NDM Production, SMP (040210) Export Code
Whey: Whey + WPC (25% - 50%) Production, Whey (0404) Export Code
Lactose: Lactose Production, Lactose edible + pharmaceutical (170211+170219) Export Code
NOTE: Access to World Dairy Trade, which also contains the processing of Import / Export of the United States with MONTHLY UPDATES, is reserved for Supporters of CLAL.it