|
U.S. milk and dairy product production Herd size, management style and dairy facilities vary significantly throughout the United States, and even within states. From small tie-stall barn setups to rotationally grazed operations to large-scale facilities, you’ll find them all from coast to coast in the United States. The average U.S. dairy herd has 147 cows, with a rolling herd average of nearly 20,000 pounds (9,000 kilograms) of milk. In the Northeast, the average herd has 88 cows, with a rolling herd average of 18,864 pounds (8,489 kilograms). Southeast dairy herds average 157 cows and 15,986 pounds (7,194 kilograms) of milk per cow. In the Midwest, the average herd includes 89 cows, with each cow producing 19,043 pounds (8,569 kilograms) of milk. The West boasts the largest herds, with the average herd size at 627 cows. On average, these cows produce 21,686 pounds (9,759 kilograms) of milk. Holsteins dominate the U.S. dairy herd, accounting for 91% of the population. Jerseys follow as the second most popular breed, with more than 4%. The United States has approximately 61,500 dairy farms, with Wisconsin having the most at about 14,500. However, the West holds the largest chunk of the country’s milk production at 47%. 
U.S. milk and dairy product productionMilk production is growing in the West and Midwest; is steady in the Northeast; and declining in the Southeast. According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, California leads the country in total milk production – pumping out 21% of the nation’s milk supply – and Wisconsin produces 13% of the country’s milk. About 1,000 dairy product manufacturing plants dot the United States. Nearly two-thirds of U.S. milk goes into dairy product manufacturing (for example, cheese, yogurt, soft cheeses, ice cream and butter), rather than beverage milk. Producing hundreds of the world’s finest cheeses, some of the most popular varieties include cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss, muenster and brick. Two states dominate U.S. cheese production – Wisconsin and California. Wisconsin produces 26% of the country’s cheese, and California 23%. Other top cheese-producing states include Idaho, New York and Minnesota. U.S. cheese production and consumption enjoys a long-term upward trend, yielding more than 9.5 billion pounds (4.3 billion kilograms) annually. Italian-style cheeses account for 42% of this figure. Mozzarella is the country’s primary Italian cheese. American- style cheeses account for another 41% of U.S.-produced cheese, with Cheddar being the primary variety in this category. Hispanicstyle cheeses and Swiss cheese continue to increase in popularity. Foodservice use is the largest area of cheese utilization, with pizza restaurants leading the way. With the largest milk supply in the world, the United States processes more than 25% of the world’s cheese into more than 400 varieties, types and styles. The earliest U.S. cheesemakers were immigrants who brought cheesemaking skills from Europe. Since then, U. S. cheesemakers have developed new technologies, unsurpassed capacity and a strong focus on the specific needs of their customers. Cream and Neufchatel cheese production sits at nearly 700 million pounds (315 million kilograms). When combined, the curd, creamed and lowfat varieties of cottage cheese hit 1.2 billion million pounds (0.54 kilograms).  The United States makes about 1.35 billion pounds (0.61 billion
kilograms) of butter. California produces about 30%, while
Wisconsin produces approximately 29%. Sour cream production
hovers around 1.3 billion pounds (0.59 billion kilograms).
Ice cream, frozen yogurt and sherbet production sits at nearly 1.5 billion gallons (5.7 billion liters). California leads the United States in ice cream and frozen dessert production, followed by Indiana, Pennsylvania, Texas, Ohio, New York and Minnesota. The United States makes nearly 3 billion pounds (1.35 billion kilograms) of yogurt. California leads the country in yogurt production, followed by New York. Exports account for 8.3% of total U.S. milk production, on a milkequivalent basis. Exported U.S. dairy products include cheese, whey, lactose, ice cream, infant formula, fluid milk, cream and milk powders. Primary markets are Japan, Mexico and Canada. Mexico is the largest buyer of U.S. cheese, ice cream, milk powder, fluid milk and cream. The United States is the single largest country exporting frozen dairy desserts. 
|