The U.S. dairy industry connects farm productivity to jobs, farm cash receipts, and what Americans buy—especially milk, cheese, and yogurt. Here, you’ll see how production rose to 226.3 billion pounds in 2022 and how cow output increased. We also cover shifting per-capita consumption, the role of employment from farms through processing, and how exports shape revenue—by volume, value, and major destinations.
Key Takeaways
- Fluid milk sales totaled 143 billion pounds in 2021
- Per capita fluid milk consumption was 36.5 gallons in 2022, down from 37.2 in 2021
- Cheese consumption per capita reached 40.3 pounds in 2022
- U.S. dairy industry generated $125 billion in cash receipts in 2022
- Dairy farm cash receipts totaled $46.9 billion in 2022
- Milk prices averaged $24.20 per hundredweight in 2022
- U.S. dairy industry employed 950,000 people in 2022 directly
- Dairy farms employ 142,000 workers in 2022
- Processing and manufacturing employ 400,000 in dairy sector 2022
- In 2022, U.S. milk production totaled 226.3 billion pounds, up 1.8% from 2021
- The average U.S. dairy cow produced 24,087 pounds of milk in 2022, an increase of 391 pounds from 2021
- California led U.S. milk production with 41.2 billion pounds in 2022, accounting for 18.2% of national total
- U.S. dairy exports volume 18.5 billion pounds milk equivalent in 2022
- Dairy export value $9.2 billion in 2022, up 11%
- Mexico top destination for U.S. dairy 30% of exports 2022
In 2022, U.S. dairy production and employment rose while strong prices and exports supported $125 billion in receipts.
Related reading
01 · Category
Consumption24 stats
01
Fluid milk sales totaled 143 billion pounds in 2021
02
Per capita fluid milk consumption was 36.5 gallons in 2022, down from 37.2 in 2021
03
Cheese consumption per capita reached 40.3 pounds in 2022
04
Yogurt per capita consumption hit 13.6 pounds in 2022
05
Butter consumption per capita was 5.7 pounds in 2022
06
Ice cream per capita consumption stood at 20.8 pounds in 2021
07
Nonfat milk per capita consumption was 10.2 gallons in 2022
08
Whole milk per capita consumption declined to 15.8 gallons in 2022
09
Reduced-fat milk consumption per capita was 17.5 gallons in 2022
10
Americans consumed 11.5 billion gallons of fluid milk in 2021
11
Cottage cheese per capita consumption was 2.1 pounds in 2021
12
75% of U.S. adults consume dairy daily in 2022 survey
13
Plant-based milk alternatives captured 12% of fluid milk market in 2022
14
School milk program served 4.5 billion half-pints in 2022
15
Household penetration of yogurt reached 85% in 2022
16
Cheese sales in retail channels grew 3.2% in 2022
17
Fluid milk sales volume dropped 3% in 2022 due to alternatives
18
Per capita dairy consumption totaled 657 pounds milk equivalent in 2022
19
Butter demand surged 5% in foodservice sector in 2022
20
Yogurt market value reached $8.7 billion in U.S. retail 2022
21
Ice cream consumption highest in Midwest at 25 lbs per capita 2021
22
62% of consumers prefer dairy over plant-based for protein in 2023 survey
23
Cream cheese consumption per capita 1.5 lbs in 2021
24
Sour cream per capita 2.8 lbs in 2021
Interpretation
Consumption Interpretation
Under the Consumption snapshot, fluid milk intake fell to 36.5 gallons per person in 2022 from 37.2 in 2021 while year to year dairy favorites like cheese at 40.3 pounds and yogurt at 13.6 pounds per capita kept pace.
02 · Category
Economic Impact20 stats
01
U.S. dairy industry generated $125 billion in cash receipts in 2022
02
Dairy farm cash receipts totaled $46.9 billion in 2022
03
Milk prices averaged $24.20per hundredweight in 2022
04
All-milk price record high of $24.80/cwt in October 2022
05
Dairy exports value reached $9.2 billion in 2022
06
Processor margins for fluid milk averaged $2.10/cwt in 2022
07
Dairy contributed 10% to U.S. agricultural GDP in 2022
08
Retail value of dairy products $110 billion in 2021
09
Cheese wholesale value $35 billion in 2022
10
Fluid milk market value $25 billion at retail 2022
11
Dairy industry supports 1 million jobs on farms and in processing
12
Farm milk price volatility index averaged 25% in 2022
13
Dairy product imports value $2.8 billion in 2022
14
Class III milk price averaged $23.50/cwt in 2022 for cheese milk
15
Butter price peaked at $3.00/lb in 2022
16
Nonfat dry milk price averaged $1.45/lb in 2022
17
Dairy farm net income per cow estimated $1,200in 2022
18
Total dairy supply chain economic multiplier 1.8 in 2021 study
19
Wisconsin dairy economic impact $47 billion annually
20
California dairy contributes $9 billion to state GDP
Interpretation
Economic Impact Interpretation
In 2022, the U.S. dairy industry’s $125 billion in cash receipts and $9.2 billion in dairy exports show strong economic impact, supported by milk prices averaging $24.20 per hundredweight and rising to a record $24.80 in October.
03 · Category
Employment19 stats
01
U.S. dairy industry employed 950,000 people in 2022 directly
02
Dairy farms employ 142,000 workers in 2022
03
Processing and manufacturing employ 400,000 in dairy sector 2022
04
Dairy supports 2.4 million total jobs including indirect 2022
05
Average dairy farm wage $18.50/hour in 2022
06
28% of dairy farm workers are foreign-born in 2021 census
07
Cheese manufacturing employs 65,000 people in 2022
08
Fluid milk processing jobs 45,000 in 2022
09
Dairy labor productivity up 2.5% annually since 2000
10
1,200 dairy training programs nationwide in 2022
11
Turnover rate in dairy processing 25% in 2022
12
Women comprise 25% of dairy farm workforce in 2022 survey
13
H-2A dairy visas issued 10,000 in 2022
14
Dairy vets number 15,000 nationwide in 2022
15
Truck drivers for dairy 50,000 employed 2022
16
Dairy retail jobs 300,000 in 2022
17
Apprenticeships in dairy processing grew 15% in 2022
18
Average dairy manager salary $75,000in 2022
19
Youth employment in dairy 4-H programs 6 million members 2022
Interpretation
Employment Interpretation
In 2022, the U.S. dairy industry’s employment footprint went beyond the 950,000 direct jobs to support 2.4 million total jobs, showing how farm work and dairy processing together create far wider workforce demand than farms alone.
More related reading
04 · Category
Production29 stats
01
In 2022, U.S. milk production totaled 226.3 billion pounds, up 1.8% from 2021
02
The average U.S. dairy cow produced 24,087 pounds of milk in 2022, an increase of 391 pounds from 2021
03
California led U.S. milk production with 41.2 billion pounds in 2022, accounting for 18.2% of national total
04
Wisconsin produced 31.8 billion pounds of milk in 2022, second highest in the U.S.
05
U.S. butter production reached 5.15 billion pounds in 2022, up 2.4% from prior year
06
American cheese production was 14.66 billion pounds in 2022, comprising 37.8% of total cheese output
07
Nonfat dry milk production hit 1.78 billion pounds in 2022
08
Dry whey production totaled 687 million pounds in 2022
09
U.S. yogurt production increased to 2.8 billion pounds in 2021
10
Fluid milk production was 200.5 billion pounds in 2022, down slightly from previous years
11
Herd size averaged 9.35 million head in 2022
12
Milk per cow reached a record 24.2 thousand pounds annually in 2022
13
Organic milk production grew to 5.2 billion pounds in 2021
14
Ice cream production totaled 2.9 billion pounds in 2021
15
Cottage cheese output was 816 million pounds in 2021
16
Cream cheese production hit 500 million pounds in 2021
17
Sour cream production reached 1.4 billion pounds in 2021
18
Milk fat content averaged 3.72% in 2022 production
19
Milk protein content averaged 3.22% in 2022
20
Number of dairy farms decreased to 31,185 in 2022 from 31,359 in 2021
21
Idaho milk production rose to 16.4 billion pounds in 2022
22
New York produced 15.5 billion pounds of milk in 2022
23
Pennsylvania milk output was 10.5 billion pounds in 2022
24
Texas dairy production reached 10.2 billion pounds in 2022
25
Minnesota produced 10.8 billion pounds in 2022
26
Total U.S. cheese production was 15.2 billion pounds in 2022, up 1.5%
27
Italian cheese varieties production was 3.15 billion pounds in 2022
28
Mozzarella cheese output reached 5.5 billion pounds in 2022
29
Cheddar cheese production totaled 3.9 billion pounds in 2022
Interpretation
Production Interpretation
In the Production category, U.S. milk output rose to 226.3 billion pounds in 2022, up 1.8% from 2021, with the average dairy cow producing 24,087 pounds and major states like California contributing 41.2 billion pounds to the total.
05 · Category
Trade And Exports20 stats
01
U.S. dairy exports volume 18.5 billion pounds milk equivalent in 2022
02
Dairy export value $9.2 billion in 2022, up 11%
03
Mexico top destination for U.S. dairy 30% of exports 2022
04
China dairy imports from U.S. $1.5 billion in 2022
05
Skim milk powder exports 1.2 billion pounds in 2022
06
Cheese exports reached 1.1 billion pounds in 2022
07
Lactose exports 450 million pounds in 2022
08
U.S. dairy trade surplus $6.4 billion in 2022
09
Canada receives 15% of U.S. dairy exports 2022
10
Southeast Asia dairy exports grew 20% to $800 million 2022
11
USMCA dairy trade volume $5 billion annually 2022
12
Dairy imports mainly from New Zealand 40% in 2022
13
Whey protein concentrate exports 600 million pounds 2022
14
EU dairy imports from U.S. $500 million in 2022
15
Japan dairy market share U.S. 25% in 2022
16
Total dairy imports 4.2 billion pounds equivalent 2022
17
Butter imports 150 million pounds in 2022
18
Export growth rate 12% for dairy products 2022
19
Middle East/North Africa exports $1.2 billion 2022
20
U.S. rank 3rd global dairy exporter behind NZ/EU 2022
Interpretation
Trade And Exports Interpretation
In 2022 the U.S. dairy trade remained strongly export driven with 18.5 billion pounds milk equivalent shipped and export value reaching $9.2 billion up 11 percent, led by Mexico as the top destination with 30 percent of exports.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Isabelle Moreau. (2026, February 13). Us Dairy Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/us-dairy-industry-statistics
MLA
Isabelle Moreau. "Us Dairy Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/us-dairy-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Isabelle Moreau. 2026. "Us Dairy Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/us-dairy-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
15 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level