Happy June Dairy Month. Thankfully, it looks like June will remain Dairy Month for a long time as a continually growing dairy herd and increasing milk per cow kept U.S. milk production above a year ago for the 14th consecutive month.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest data put April output at 19.96 billion pounds, up 2.7% from April 2025, and followed a 2.7% rise in March. The 24-state total came in at 19.176 billion pounds, up 2.8%.
March output in the 50 states was revised up 71 million pounds to 20.462 billion, up 2.7% from a year ago, instead of the 2.3% originally reported. The 24-state total was revised up 71 million pounds, to 19.662 billion, up 2.8% instead of the 2.4% originally reported.
April cow numbers totaled 9.645 million head, up 10,000 from the March count, which was revised up 14,000 head, and was up 190,000 or 2% above a year ago. The 24-state count, at 9.21 million, was up 12,000 from the March total, which was revised up 15,000 head, and was 193,000 or 2.1% above a year ago. The U.S. dairy herd is the largest since mid-1993, says the Daily Dairy Report.
April milk per cow averaged 2,069 pounds in the 50 states, up 14 pounds or 0.7% from a year ago. The 24-state average, at 2,082 pounds, was up 13 pounds or 0.6% from 2025. The March average was revised up 5 pounds in both.
California milk output was just under 3.6 billion pounds, up a whopping 79 million pounds or 2.3% from a year ago, following a 1.8% gain in March. Cow numbers were up 5,000 head and output per cow was up 40 pounds from a year ago.
Wisconsin produced just under 2.8 billion pounds, also up 79 million, up 2.9% from a year ago, which followed a 3.2% gain in March. Cow numbers were up 31,000 head, with a 10-pound gain per cow.
Idaho was up 45 million pounds or 3% on 23,000 more cows. Output per cow was off 5 pounds. Indiana was up 5.6%, thanks to 10,000 more cows, and a 5-pound gain per cow.
Kansas again recorded the biggest percentage gain, up 23.7% from a year ago, on 44,000 more cows and a 20-pound gain per cow. Michigan was up 4.1% on 19,000 more cows. Output per cow was down 5 pounds. Minnesota was up 2.3%, on 10,000 more cows. Output per cow was unchanged.
New Mexico, one of five states showing a decline in milk output, was off 0.4%, due to 2,000 fewer cows milked. Output per cow was up 10 pounds however.
New York was up 0.9% on 9,000 more cows, though output per cow was down 10 pounds. Ohio was up 1.9% on 2,000 more cows and 20 pounds more per cow. Oregon was up 7.4% on 8,000 more cows and a 5-pound gain per cow.
Pennsylvania was down 2% due to 12,000 fewer cows milked, though output per cow was up 10 pounds. South Dakota was up 6.3% on 13,000 more cows and a 15-pound gain per cow.
Texas put 1.6 billion pounds in the tank, up 67 million or 4.3% from a year ago, thanks to 29,000 more cows and a 5-pound gain per cow.
Vermont was down 0.5%, on 1,000 fewer cows, though output per cow was up 10 pounds. Washington state showed the biggest decline again, down 7% on 17,000 fewer cows, and a 5-pound drop per cow.
StoneX says there is still available capacity at some of the new plants that have been built in the U.S. and there are likely still new farms or existing farm expansions that will be coming online during 2026 to fill those plants.
“Production per cow is slowing down with seasonal declines in fat and protein content and tougher year-on-year comparisons,” according to StoneX. “Producers have been adjusting feed rations for some time now to lower input costs against the weaker milkfat prices. Protein was up 3.4% which is being incentivized by strong whey and nonfat dry milk prices. This put component-adjusted milk production up 3.4%, which helps explain the downtrend in Class III.”
The USDA’s latest weekly slaughter report showed 44,500 dairy cows sent to slaughter the week ending May 16, down 300 or 0.7% from a year ago. Year to date 1,072,600 had been culled, up 54,200 head or 5.3% from a year ago.
Meanwhile, we have plenty of dairy in the cooler. U.S. butter stocks jumped in April, as they did in March, but were still well below a year ago, thanks to good domestic demand and strong exports.
The USDA’s latest Cold Storage report shows April butter stocks at 308.2 million pounds, up 18.3 million pounds or 6.3% from March, but 28.8 million or 8.5% below April 2025. The March total was revised up 1.1 million pounds from last month’s report.
American-style cheese stocks grew to 817.6 million pounds, up 12 million or 1.5% from the March level, which was revised up 3.9 million pounds. But, they were down 11.9 million pounds or 1.4% from a year ago.
The other cheese holdings totaled 575.2 million pounds, up 243,000 pounds or 0.04% from March, but were down 3.4 million or 0.6% from a year ago. The March total was unchanged.
The total cheese inventory hit 1.418 billion pounds, up 12.4 million or 0.9% from March, but still 13.4 million pounds or 0.9% below a year ago. Revisions added 3.9 million pounds to the March total.
“The higher milk production appeared to have helped build inventories,” says StoneX.
“The steep increase in American-style cheese stocks in both March and April suggests that, while exports are helping to clean up supplies of other cheese varieties, international buyers are not interested in US Cheddar. If American-style cheese continues to pile up, some will wind up in Chicago and weigh on the [Chicago Mercantile Exchange] spot price,” warned the May 22 Daily Dairy Report.
Speaking of Chicago Mercantile Exchange cheddar, the 40-pound blocks closed the holiday-shortened week at $1.475 per pound, down 3 cents on the week, lowest since Feb. 17 and 47.25 cents below a year ago. The 500-pound barrels finished at $1.44, 4 cents lower, and 43 cents below a year ago. There were two trades of barrel on the week and 22 of block, with 133 loads for the month of May, up from 90 in April.
Dairy Market News reports that milk output is strong in the Central region but contacts say busy schedules are keeping spot volumes from becoming excessive. Class III spot milk prices ranged from under $5 to over $2 at midweek. Cheesemakers were running busy schedules following the long holiday weekend. Some plants purchased milk from processors with downtime last week, near the bottom of the range, while others said lighter spot availability was keeping prices steady. Plenty of cheese is available in the region. Domestic demand was steady to higher as contacts reported increased retail demand, but note that food service sales remain light. Export cheese demand is steady.
Cheese manufacturers in the West reported that contractual milk intake needs were met. Spot milk availability varied however. Demand from cheese manufacturers was mixed. Cheese production was stronger following the holiday weekend. Domestic demand is steady. The retail sector continues to outpace food service. Demand from international buyers is strong, but some sellers reported that trades are not being negotiated quickly, according to Dairy Market News.
Butter got a bounce on the short week, climbing to $1.6675 per pound on May 29, 13.25 cents higher on the week and the highest since April 28, but still 80.75 cents below a year ago. There were 104 trades on the week and 380 for the month, up from 341 in April.
Cream production is steady in the Central region. Class II processors continue to pull on inventories, keeping spot volumes available but somewhat snug. Some butter makers in the Southwest were bringing in cream from other regions. Some butter makers had downtime early in the week for the holiday but were running full schedules going forward. Domestic butter demand is steady. Export interest varies, as some contacts said they were having success moving loads to other countries, while others reported softening demand.
Spot loads of butter are available, but 82% and unsalted butter inventories are tighter than 80% salted, says Dairy Market News.
Butter manufacturers in the West were receiving contract loads of cream, says Dairy Market News. Spot loads were available but demand from butter manufacturers was mixed. Butter production was strong for the week. Some manufacturers are putting a heavy focus on 82% butterfat butter. Stakeholders indicate 82% butter prices are holding more strength than 80%. Butter inventories vary from stable to increasing. Domestic and international demand is steady, according to Dairy Market News.
Grade A nonfat dry milk fell to $2.0425 per pound on May 26, lowest Chicago Mercantile Exchange price since April 8, but it regained a nickel on May 27 and closed on May 29 at $2.09, 1.75 cents higher on the week and 80.25 cents above a year ago. Sales totaled 37 loads on the week and 116 for all of May, up from 48 in April.
Dry whey closed on May 29 at 70 cents per pound, 2 cents higher on the week, and 12.75 cents above a year ago. There were seven sales posted on the week.
Checking the fields, the USDA’s latest Crop Progress report showed 86% of U.S. corn was in the ground, as of the week ending May 24, up from 76% the previous week and equaling that of a year ago, but 3% ahead of the five-year average. Sixty percent had emerged, up from 39% the previous week and 5% behind a year ago, but 2% ahead of the average. Soybean plantings were at 79%, up from 67% the previous week, 4% ahead of a year ago and 11% ahead of the five-year average. Forty-nine percent had emerged, up from 32% the previous week, 1% ahead of a year ago and 9% ahead of the average.
In politics, the National Milk Producers Federation and U.S. Dairy Export Council reiterated their call for the U.S. trade representative to use the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) joint review process to address Canada’s “distortionary nonfat milk solids export practices.” Their statement followed the May 27 release of the U.S. International Trade Commission’s Section 332 report, “Nonfat Milk Solids: Competitive Conditions for the United States and Major Foreign Suppliers.”
“The report confirms what NMPF and USDEC have long documented,” says a joint press release, “that Canadian milk production quotas that aim to match domestic supply and demand for butterfat lead to a level of raw milk production that results in a domestic structural surplus of [nonfat milk solids] components.”
Meanwhile, there was good news for the dairy industry and consumers in a new study from the University of Reading. According to a university press release, the study found “trans-fats found naturally in dairy foods such as milk, butter and cheese do not increase the risk of heart disease or type 2 diabetes.”
“Researchers analyzed evidence from 22 studies involving thousands of people across Europe, Canada and the United States and found that natural trans-fats behave very differently in the body from the industrial kind. Unlike industrial trans-fats, which are strongly linked to heart disease, those found in dairy appear to pose no risk,” according to the study. “The first-of-its-kind research, published in the journal Nutrition Research, will also raise consumer’s awareness of this topic and provide clarity on trans-fat labelling policies which may cause confusion.”
Professor Ian Givens, one of lead authors and from the University of Reading, said: “People hear the words ‘trans-fats’ and assume the worst, but the trans-fats in your morning milk, yogurt, butter or cheese are not the same as the ones from industrial partially hydrogenated fats. This research should give people reassurance that dairy, eaten as part of a balanced diet, is not something to worry about for your heart.”
The USDA’s Agricultural Research Service announced the opening last week of the Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory. It is a “state-of-the-art laboratory facility that will provide the US cattle industry with innovative tools and advanced technologies to manage and eliminate the invasive fly and tick pests that threaten the US cattle industry,” according to USDA.
The lab will “find new active measures to keep current and future threats away from our borders,” said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. “We have taken extraordinary actions to keep New World Screwworm out of the United States and this lab will help us accelerate our offensive efforts to drive this pest further away from our borders.”
“For the last 250 years, our nation has relied on research leading to science-based innovation as a means to overcome some of America’s greatest agricultural challenges, including the exclusion of New World Screwworm from the United States with novel Sterile Insect Techniques,” said USDA Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics Dr. Scott Hutchins.
This article originally appeared on Farmers Advance: US dairy herd is the largest since mid-1993
Reporting by Lee Mielke, Farmers’ Advance / Farmers Advance
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
