Despite headwinds from highly pathogenic avian influenza, weather challenges in many parts of the country, and a slight contraction in U.S. dairy herds, 2024 maintained many of the thresholds that were reached in 2023.

California kept its top position for the total number of cows and overall milk production in 2024. While holding pole position, the Golden State did have a softening in both categories from 2023, down 619 million pounds of milk and approximately 6,000 fewer cows. Wisconsin maintained second place in both rankings, holding steady for cow numbers. Overall milk production in Wisconsin finished nearly even with 2023.

Continuing its leap through the ranks, 2024 was the year Texas edged out Idaho for the number three spot in production. Texas also carries the top spot for the most new milk.

New York, similar to Wisconsin, had almost no change in cow numbers and production over the previous year’s report, keeping the Empire State solidly in fifth place for both categories. New York edged out Wisconsin in milk per cow to reach fifth in another category.

Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and Michigan continue to battle for their places in the top 10 rankings, with Michigan once again boasting the most milk per cow, with an average of 27,680 pounds.

South Dakota continues to hold the growth categories with the most new cows, adding 18,000 head. The Mount Rushmore State had the largest increase of the net exporters of milk, holding a firm spot in third, narrowing the margin with Wisconsin. Also moving up the ladder is South Dakota’s neighbor, Iowa. While holding steady in the top 10 of milk production per cow in 2023, Iowa also moved into the overall production top 10.

Despite the record beef-on-dairy calf prices and high cull prices boosted by the lowest beef cow herd numbers in decades, the dairy herd was only reduced by 0.4%, with an overall herd size of 9.347 million head. New Mexico had the largest contraction, falling out of the top 10 categories of most cows, milk production, and milk per cow, yet is still the second-largest herd size with an average of 2,526 cows per herd.

The national average of milk production per cow once again set a new record at 24,178 pounds. The average herd size rose marginally.

Cows in the nation’s dairy herd produced 665 pounds of milk per U.S. citizen in 2024. Idaho remains the leader in milk per person, coming in at 8,505 pounds. Wisconsin was next, making 5,427 pounds of milk per person. In third place was South Dakota, at 5,353 pounds, closing the gap with Wisconsin. New Mexico, while lower than 2023, is still solidly in fourth place at 2,785. In all, 18 states were net exporters of milk in 2024, producing more than 600 pounds of milk per citizen.

Also, view the Top 10 dairy states in 2024 here.

The U.S. dairy industry statistics, 2019 to 2024, can be found here.

Usage of these charts must be credited to Hoard's Dairyman.