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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.

Breakdown by States »

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
US: Cow's Milk Productions
Cow's Milk  (tons x 1000)
Month 2004 2009 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 ± % on
2018 		± % on
2017
January 6.529 7.313 7.840 8.024 8.019 8.228 8.363 8.434 +0,9% +2,5%
February 6.171 6.685 7.215 7.335 7.665 7.574 7.699 7.718(p) +0,2% +1,9%
March 6.696 7.471 8.087 8.203 8.346 8.509 8.613
April 6.592 7.317 7.929 8.072 8.143 8.327 8.352
May 6.817 7.617 8.207 8.359 8.442 8.599 8.678
June 6.476 7.225 7.858 7.939 8.062 8.198 8.295
July 6.530 7.263 7.908 8.012 8.120 8.287 8.314
August 6.444 7.136 7.813 7.893 8.021 8.182 8.276
September 6.173 6.822 7.491 7.536 7.701 7.771 7.890
October 6.387 6.992 7.743 7.769 7.961 8.058 8.107
November 6.179 6.831 7.507 7.567 7.768 7.831 7.869
December 6.494 7.150 7.863 7.910 8.098 8.199 8.235
Jan-Feb 12.700 13.998 15.055 15.359 15.684 15.802 16.062 16.152
% y-o-y ¹ +6,8% +10,2% +7,6% +2,0% +2,1% +0,8% +1,6% +0,6%
Total Year 77.489 85.821 93.462 94.619 96.346 97.762 98.691
% y-o-y ¹ +5,1% +10,8% +8,9% +1,2% +1,8% +1,5% +1,0%
Last Update: 20-03-2019
1) change from the same period of previous year , except for years 2004, 2009, 2014, where the change is from the same period 5 years ago
**: Adjusted for months of 30 days (Ex. The calculation of the production change of June compared to May is obtained by considering [June production] compared to [May production : 31 x 30])
(p) = provisional
Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service
US: Cow's Milk Productions
Cow's Milk * (Mln of pounds)
Month 2004 2009 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 ± % on
2018 		± % on
2017
January 14.394 16.123 17.284 17.690 17.679 18.140 18.437 18.594 +0,9% +2,5%
February 13.605 14.738 15.907 16.170 16.898 16.698 16.973 17.015(p) +0,2% +1,9%
March 14.763 16.471 17.829 18.085 18.399 18.758 18.989
April 14.532 16.130 17.480 17.795 17.952 18.357 18.412
May 15.029 16.792 18.094 18.428 18.612 18.958 19.131
June 14.278 15.928 17.323 17.503 17.773 18.073 18.288
July 14.396 16.011 17.435 17.663 17.902 18.270 18.329
August 14.206 15.732 17.224 17.400 17.684 18.037 18.245
September 13.610 15.039 16.514 16.614 16.977 17.131 17.395
October 14.081 15.415 17.071 17.128 17.550 17.765 17.873
November 13.622 15.060 16.551 16.683 17.126 17.265 17.348
December 14.316 15.763 17.334 17.438 17.853 18.075 18.155
Jan-Feb 27.999 30.861 33.191 33.860 34.577 34.838 35.410 35.609
% y-o-y ¹ +6,8% +10,2% +7,6% +2,0% +2,1% +0,8% +1,6% +0,6%
Total Year 170.832 189.202 206.046 208.597 212.405 215.527 217.575
% y-o-y ¹ +5,1% +10,8% +8,9% +1,2% +1,8% +1,5% +1,0%
Last Update: 20-03-2019
1) change from the same period of previous year , except for years 2004, 2009, 2014, where the change is from the same period 5 years ago
*: Conversion: 1 Kg = 2.2046 Pounds
**: Adjusted for months of 30 days (Ex. The calculation of the production change of June compared to May is obtained by considering [June production] compared to [May production : 31 x 30])
(p) = provisional
Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service