Aug. 10 2023
A baker’s dozen of counties produced one-fourth of the nation’s federal order milk that was marketed last year. Those are the same 13 counties that led this list in 2021 as well
March 10 2020
Milk prices were too low for too long. That sums up the serious economic consequences in the countryside as 8.8% of all dairy farms holding permits to sell milk left the business last year
Oct. 8 2019
With over 500,000 cows in the most recent U.S. Census of Agriculture, Tulare County built upon its title as the nation’s largest dairy county
March 25 2019
Over the last five years, Colorado has been the fastest growing dairy state in terms of milk production
Feb. 11 2019
The Aloha State may be saying aloha to dairies
Dec. 11 2017
Annual U.S. dairy cow inventory has been in continual expansion mode every year since 2010 . . . except for the drought year of 2013
Oct. 30 2017
When it comes to organic food sales, dairy is big business. That’s based on looking directly at organic sales from farms — before products reach processors
Oct. 2 2017
U.S. dairying is rolling along at a solid milk production clip in 2017. From January through August, output in the 23 states summarized in monthly USDA-NASS reports has been up on average
Sept. 11 2017
Over the next decade, California widened its lead dramatically in both categories. The high watermarks came in 2008 at 16.73 billion pounds and 592,000 cows. But things have changed a lot since then
April 25 2017
What will U.S. dairy farming be like in a half century? That was the focus of a topic I presented at the Tucker Endowed Lecture at Michigan State University this past March
March 20 2017
Even if a significant slowdown in the decline rate for dairy farm numbers occurs, there will likely be just half as many in 20 years are there are now
March 10 2017
Tight margins that ranged from $5.76 to $9.17 per hundredweight after feed costs were among the reasons that 1,725 dairy farmers exited the industry last year. Those business closings were only
Feb. 22 2016
No statistic may be more telling than the fact that 3.41 percent of the dairies produce 50 percent of the milk in the Central Federal Milk Marketing Order. This proportion has tightened significantly since...
Dec. 14 2015
In the Upper Midwest Federal Milk Marketing Order, roughly one-third of the milk came from herds that had 1,000 or more cows. "Roughly" is the key word, as some assumptions must be made when sifting through...
Sept. 28 2015
There is a reason that the federal government takes a detailed census each year . . . even going door to door to collect population data. It is the most accurate way to gather such information
Sept. 21 2015
The milk per cow totals are factually correct in USDA's July and August milk production report. For the first time in over five decades, the average Wisconsin cow produced more milk than one in California
Sept. 7 2015
In producing 20.5 percent of the nation's milk last year, the Golden State is the undisputed leader in U.S. milk production. Collectively, its 1,485 dairy farms produced 42.3 billion pounds of milk and...
Aug. 3 2015
Just how much has our industry consolidated? It took only 12 counties to produce 25 percent of our nation's milk last December. By casting a slightly wider net, 56 counties were responsible for producing...
July 20 2015
For a number of decades, we have seen firsthand multiple states develop initiatives to either recruit dairy farmers to their respective states or develop homegrown talent to grow dairy cow numbers. There's...
March 10 2015
Among the top 10 states when ranked by farm numbers, only 3.1 percent of dairies exited the business. For the 40 remaining states, losses were steeper at 4.9 percent. Record milk checks received by U.S....