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.
Latest climate weekly reports about precipitations and temperatures.
Total Precipitation: level of rainfall;
Temperature anomalies: variation compared to historical mean temperature;
Min Temperature: minimum temperature;
Max Temperature: maximum temperature;
US: DAIRY SECTOR | ||||||||||
x 1.000 ton | ||||||||||
RAW MATERIAL AREA | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2024 | 2025 | % | Period | ||
Farms ('000) | 1.960 | 1.901 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
Number of cows ('000 head) | 9.386 | 9.405 | 9.344 | 9.360 | 9.338 | 9.396 | +0,6% | Jan-Mar 2025 | ||
Cow's milk production | 102.646 | 102.702 | 102.654 | 102.453 | 25.829 | 25.740 | -0,3% | Jan-Mar 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 | 46,06 | 41,35 | 50,64 | +22,5% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
± % Over the same period of the previous year | +53,6% | -21,9% | +11,0% | |||||||
Corn price (North West Iowa, IA) (€\Ton) | 194,4 | 267,0 | 214,1 | 155,1 | 157,7 | 166,4 (p) | +5,5% | Jan-Apr 2025 | ||
Soybeans price (Western Illinois, IL) (€\Ton) | 450,1 | 571,4 | 506,8 | 391,2 | 423,7 | 363,5 (p) | -14,2% | Jan-Apr 2025 | ||
DAIRY PRODUCTION | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2024 | 2025 | % | Period | ||
Liquid milk | 20.192 | 19.708 | 19.424 | |||||||
Butter | 936 | 934 | 959 | 1.013 | 188 | 191 | +1,5% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Cream Sour | 677 | 678 | 689 | 695 | 113 | 112 | -0,5% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Cheese | 6.242 | 6.389 | 6.446 | 6.466 | 1.062 | 1.059 | -0,2% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Italian Mozzarella | 2.040 | 2.110 | 2.089 | 2.170 | 350 | 356 | +1,7% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Cheddar | 1.801 | 1.798 | 1.856 | 1.748 | 293 | 288 | -1,5% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Americal Colby & Jack & Monterey | 746 | 775 | 795 | 808 | 125 | 130 | +4,4% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Cream & Neufchatel | 465 | 507 | 495 | 531 | 91 | 83 | -8,2% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Italian Parmesan & Similar | 220 | 220 | 222 | 205 | 39 | 39 | -1,7% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Italian Provolone & Similar | 172 | 168 | 171 | 173 | 27 | 26 | -6,0% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Hispanic | 160 | 175 | 192 | 190 | 33 | 31 | -5,2% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Swiss | 150 | 159 | 152 | 149 | 25 | 24 | -2,7% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Italian Ricotta & Similar | 114 | 112 | 112 | 108 | 19 | 19 | -4,3% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Muenster | 87 | 87 | 92 | |||||||
Feta | 77 | 64 | 66 | 69 | 11 | 11 | +2,3% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Blue e Gorgonzola | 40 | 42 | 38 | 40 | 6,1 | 6,2 | +2,3% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Italian Romano & Similar | 31 | 26 | 23 | 27 | 4,1 | 4,7 | +14,9% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Gouda | 26 | 28 | 28 | 36 | 5,0 | 6,3 | +25,7% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Brick | 0,9 | 0,7 | 0,7 | |||||||
Altri formaggi | 114 | 117 | 114 | 118 | 18 | 19 | +7,5% | Jan- 2025 | ||
Cottage Cream | 154 | 156 | 171 | 190 | 30 | 34 | +14,9% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Cottage Curd | 163 | 164 | 181 | 203 | 31 | 36 | +17,4% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Cottage Lowfat | 138 | 133 | 152 | 172 | 26 | 29 | +10,1% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
WMP (whole milk powder) | 67 | 62 | 50 | 51 | 9,1 | 10 | +12,1% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
NDM (skimmed milk powder) | 929 | 887 | 847 | 757 | 129 | 137 | +5,6% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
SMP (skimmed milk powder) | 317 | 298 | 315 | 250 | 42 | 30 | -29,9% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Whey powder | 405 | 415 | 426 | 391 | 68 | 60 | -11,9% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Condensed milk (Whole and Skimmed Canned Milk) | 249 | 253 | ||||||||
Lactose | 509 | 504 | 501 | 503 | 80 | 80 | 0,0% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
WPC (Whey Protein Concentrate) | 210 | 205 | 228 | 222 | 37 | 34 | -8,2% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
WPI 90 (Whey Protein Isolated) | 59 | 59 | 64 | 87 | 13 | 15 | +14,4% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Yogurt | 2.152 | 2.026 | 2.082 | 2.207 | 360 | 380 | +5,4% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Frozen Yogurt (Mio Litri) | 153 | 144 | 160 | 166 | 28 | 30 | +9,0% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Ice cream, regular, hard (Mio Litri) | 2.726 | 2.830 | 2.657 | 2.760 | 405 | 436 | +7,7% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Ice cream lowfat, total (Mio Litri) | 1.808 | 1.687 | 1.707 | 1.528 | 219 | 226 | +3,0% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Ice cream, lowfat, hard (Mio Litri) | 865 | 823 | 860 | 796 | 118 | 126 | +7,1% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Ice cream, lowfat, soft (Mio Litri) | 943 | 863 | 846 | 732 | 102 | 100 | -1,8% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
Ice cream, nonfat, hard (Mio Litri) | 25 | 32 | 30 | 23 | 3,3 | 2,6 | -20,2% | Jan-Feb 2025 | ||
EXPORT | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2024 | 2025 | % | Period | ||
Bulk and pack. milk (HS 040110+040120) |
|
120 | 122 | 103 | 105 | 16 | 17 | +5,9% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Cream (HS 040130+040140+040150) |
|
26 | 28 | 37 | 40 | 5,4 | 5,4 | +1,0% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Condensed milk (HS 040291+040299) |
|
16 | 20 | 22 | 18 | 2,9 | 3,3 | +13,3% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Butter (HS 0405) |
|
57 | 69 | 36 | 46 | 5,7 | 16 | +179,6% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
of which: | ||||||||||
Anhydrous Milk Fat (HS 040590) |
|
13 | 16 | 6,1 | 14 | 1,0 | 7,3 | +652,3% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Cheese (HS 0406) |
|
404 | 454 | 435 | 514 | 82 | 92 | +12,3% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
SMP (skimmed milk powder - HS 040210) |
|
880 | 837 | 809 | 745 | 126 | 95 | -24,5% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
WMP (whole milk powder - HS 040221+040229) |
|
39 | 39 | 26 | 26 | 3,5 | 4,0 | +11,7% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Whey powder (HS 0404) |
|
592 | 663 | 534 | 556 | 89 | 92 | +3,1% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
of which: | ||||||||||
Sweet dairy Whey (12% protein) e WPC (HS 040410) |
|
551 | 615 | 490 | 512 | 82 | 83 | +0,9% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Casein (HS 350110) |
|
1,8 | 2,1 | 1,1 | 6,1 | 0,5 | 1,2 | +122,8% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Caseinates (HS 350190) |
|
2,1 | 2,5 | 2,6 | 3,2 | 0,5 | 0,9 | +75,4% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Lactose pharmaceutical (HS 170211) |
|
322 | 413 | 434 | 409 | 69 | 62 | -11,3% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Lactose edible (HS 170299) |
|
69 | 40 | 37 | 24 | 3,4 | 3,6 | +3,4% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Infant milk formula (HS 190110) |
|
28 | 29 | 28 | 25 | 4,3 | 4,3 | +0,5% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Yogurt e latticello (HS 0403) |
|
41 | 41 | 48 | 61 | 8,7 | 11 | +22,3% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Fat-Filled Milk Powder (FFMP) (HS 190190) |
|
162 | 175 | 170 | 164 | 26 | 30 | +16,3% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) (HS 350220) |
|
65 | 65 | 76 | 89 | 12 | 14 | +16,1% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
IMPORT | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2024 | 2025 | % | Period | ||
Bulk and pack. milk (HS 040110+040120) |
|
35 | 26 | 24 | 24 | 4,0 | 5,7 | +41,1% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Cream (HS 040130+040140+040150) |
|
19 | 32 | 58 | 54 | 8,2 | 7,7 | -5,2% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Condensed milk (HS 040291+040299) |
|
23 | 37 | 37 | 49 | 8,7 | 8,1 | -7,2% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Butter (HS 0405) |
|
63 | 73 | 81 | 109 | 16 | 16 | +2,4% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
of which: | ||||||||||
Anhydrous Milk Fat (HS 040590) |
|
14 | 21 | 19 | 21 | 3,7 | 2,8 | -25,4% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Cheese (HS 0406) |
|
188 | 189 | 193 | 215 | 31 | 34 | +9,0% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
SMP (skimmed milk powder - HS 040210) |
|
0,4 | 0,6 | 0,8 | 0,7 | 0,0 | 0,4 | >1000% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
WMP (whole milk powder - HS 040221+040229) |
|
12 | 16 | 14 | 18 | 2,5 | 4,4 | +77,9% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Whey powder (HS 0404) |
|
84 | 79 | 81 | 97 | 12 | 18 | +48,0% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
of which: | ||||||||||
Sweet dairy Whey (12% protein) e WPC (HS 040410) |
|
44 | 44 | 44 | 46 | 7,3 | 7,8 | +6,6% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Casein (HS 350110) |
|
53 | 81 | 51 | 38 | 8,7 | 7,0 | -20,4% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Caseinates (HS 350190) |
|
22 | 24 | 31 | 23 | 3,3 | 2,5 | -23,4% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Lactose pharmaceutical (HS 170211) |
|
2,9 | 3,2 | 3,3 | 3,0 | 0,4 | 0,4 | +6,2% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Lactose edible (HS 170299) |
|
0,4 | 0,5 | 0,8 | 0,4 | 0,1 | 0,0 | -80,1% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Infant milk formula (HS 190110) |
|
17 | 42 | 40 | 61 | 13 | 12 | -12,1% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Yogurt e latticello (HS 0403) |
|
27 | 35 | 41 | 49 | 7,8 | 9,3 | +19,6% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Fat-Filled Milk Powder (FFMP) (HS 190190) |
|
230 | 255 | 252 | 269 | 41 | 44 | +6,5% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) (HS 350220) |
|
14 | 11 | 9,9 | 16 | 3,3 | 2,4 | -27,1% | Jan-Feb 2025 | |
STOCK (al 31 December) | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2024 | 2025 | % | Period | ||
Butter | 90 | 98 | 91 | 97 | 135 | 139 | +2,6% | Feb 2025 | ||
Cheese (no fresh cheese) | 654 | 656 | 654 | 614 | 661 | 626 | -5,3% | Feb 2025 | ||
SMP Human Use | 115 | 116 | 90 | 116 | 95 | 149 | +57,0% | Feb 2025 | ||
SMP Animal Use | 2,7 | 3,7 | 2,9 | 3,6 | 3,6 | 3,1 | -13,1% | Feb 2025 | ||
WMP (Whole Milk Powder) | 11 | 6,9 | 5,9 | 5,6 | 5,5 | 7,5 | +35,7% | Feb 2025 | ||
Condensed milk (Whole and Skimmed Canned Milk) | 21 | 18 | 18 | |||||||
Whey Powder Human Use | 25 | 31 | 30 | 26 | 30 | 27 | -9,8% | Feb 2025 | ||
Whey Powder Animal Use | 0,3 | 0,6 | 1,8 | 1,5 | 2,7 | 1,1 | -60,2% | Feb 2025 | ||
WPC | 31 | 37 | 28 | 26 | 26 | 25 | -3,9% | Feb 2025 | ||
I° Classification | ||||||||||
- WPC Human Use | 30 | 37 | 27 | 25 | 26 | 25 | -3,0% | Feb 2025 | ||
- WPC Animal Use | 0,7 | 0,4 | 0,8 | 0,7 | 0,6 | 0,4 | -41,7% | Feb 2025 | ||
2° Classification | ||||||||||
- WPC 25-49.9% s.s. | 11 | 13 | 11 | 9,9 | 10 | 9,7 | -3,1% | Feb 2025 | ||
- WPC 50-89.9% s.s. | 21 | 24 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 15 | -4,4% | Feb 2025 | ||
Lactose | 76 | 78 | 49 | 48 | 49 | 44 | -9,2% | Feb 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% | 1,80% | Jan-Dic 2025 | |||
CPI (consumer price index) | 4,70% | 8,00% | 4,12% | 3,00% | 3,00% | 2,80% | 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) | |||||||
* 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)
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: 2025-04-23
US: Export on Production | |||||
Product | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Feb 2025 | Jan-Feb 2025 |
Butter | 7,4% | 3,7% | 4,5% | 9,4% | 8,3% |
Cheese | 7,1% | 6,8% | 7,9% | 8,9% | 8,7% |
WMP | 62,8% | 51,5% | 50,5% | 47,1% | 38,9% |
SMP | 91,3% | 92,3% | 94,8% | 60,3% | 57,3% |
Whey | 129,7% | 95,1% | 101,3% | 71,2% | 68,2% |
Lactose | 89,8% | 94,0% | 85,9% | 87,2% | 81,1% |
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