California’s Share Of Milk Output Falls Below 20% For First Time Since 2000; Wisconsin’s Share Highest Since ‘99

Washington—Regional milk production statistics released earlier this month by USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) shed light on how US milk production has shifted in recent years, as well as over the past half-century.

In 2015, six out of the 10 regions broken out for milk production by ERS increased their share of US milk production compared to 2014, while the other four regions lost share. However, three of the four regions that lost share last year still have higher production shares than in both 1990 and in 1965, while all six regions that gained share last year have lower production shares than in both 1990 and 1965.

US milk production last year was a record 208.633 billion pounds. Four regions accounted for over 78 percent of that production.

The Pacific region in 2015 was once again the leading US milk-producing region, although its share of US milk output, 24.01 percent, was down from 24.99 percent in 2014, 25.55 percent in 2011 and 26.12 percent in 2007.

However, the Pacific region’s share of US milk production is more than twice what it was in 1965 (9.2 percent), and is also well above its level in 1990 (18.3 percent). The Pacific region has accounted for over 20 percent of US milk production every year since 1994, and accounted for more than 25 percent of US milk production as recently as 2012 (25.21 percent).

Within the Pacific region, California’s share of US milk producion last year was 19.6 percent, down from 20.55 percent in 2014 and the first time since 2000 that California didn’t account for at least 20 percent of US milk output. The state’s share of US milk production peaked at 21.91 percent in 2007, when its production totaled 40.683 billion pounds (its 2015 production totaled 40.898 billion pounds).

Milk production shares for other states in the Pacific region last year, with comparisons to 2014, were: Washington, 3.17 percent, down from 3.19 percent; Oregon, 1.22 percent, down from 1.24 percent; Hawaii, 0.02 percent, up from 0.01 percent; and Alaska, 0.0 percent, unchanged.

The Lake States region accounted for 23.37 percent of US milk production last year, up from 22.58 percent in 2014 and the first time the region has accounted for more than 23 percent of US milk output since 1999, when the region’s share was 23.36 percent. The Lake States region accounted for 28.3 percent of US milk production in 1965 and 26.7 percent of US milk output in 1990.

Within the Lake States region, Wisconsin’s share of US milk production last year was 13.91 percent, up from 13.49 percent in 2014 and its highest share since 1999 (14.18 percent); Michigan’s share was 4.91 percent, up from 4.66 percent in 2014 and up a full percentage point from 2006 (3.91 percent); and Minnesota’s share was 4.54 percent, up from 4.43 percent in 2014 but down from 6.06 percent in 1995.

The Mountain region accounted for 16.2 percent of US milk production last year, down from 16.3 percent in 2014 but well above its shares of 11.93 percent in 2000, 6.4 percent in 1990 and 3.7 percent in 1965.

Two of the top 10 milk-producing states are located in the Mountain region. Idaho’s share of US milk production last year was 6.76 percent, up from 6.73 percent in 2014, unchanged from both 2011 and 2012, and up from 2.71 percent in 1995. New Mexico’s share of US milk production last year was 3.75 percent, down from 3.93 percent in 2014 and 4.17 percent in 2011 but up from 2.33 percent in 1995.

Milk production shares for other states in the Mountain region last year, with comparisons to 2014, were: Arizona, 2.29 percent, up from 2.28 percent; Colorado, 1.8 percent, up from 1.74 percent; Utah, 1.07 percent, up from 1.06 percent; Nevada, 0.32 percent, down from 0.33 percent; Montana, 0.14 percent, down from 0.15 percent; and Wyoming, 0.06 percent, unchanged.

The Northeast region last year accounted for 14.52 percent of US milk production, up from 14.46 percent in 2014 but down from 14.56 percent in 2013, 17.53 percent in 2000, 18.3 percent in 1990 and 20.7 percent in 1965.

Two of the top five milk-producing states are located in the Northeast region. New York’s share of US milk production last year was 6.76 percent, up from 6.66 percent in 2014 and the state’s highest share since 2005 (6.83 percent); and Pennsylvania’s share was 5.18 percent, unchanged from 2014 and down from 6.66 percent in 2000.

Milk production shares for other states in the Northeast region last year, with comparisons to 2014, were: Vermont, 1.28 percent, down from 1.29 percent; Maryland, 0.47 percent, down from 0.48 percent; Maine, 0.28 percent, down from 0.29 percent; New Hampshire, 0.14 percent, unchanged; Massachusetts, 0.1 percent, down from 0.11 percent; Rhode Island, 0.01 percent, unchanged; Connecticut, 0.19 percent, unchanged; New Jersey, 0.06 percent, unchanged; and Delaware, 0.05 percent, unchanged.

The Corn Belt region accounted for 8.45 percent of US milk production last year, up from 8.35 percent in 2014 but down from 9.05 percent in 2000, 11.5 percent in 1990 and 17.1 percent in 1965.

Milk production shares for the five states in the Corn Belt region last year, with comparisons to 2014, were: Ohio, 2.63 percent, unchanged; Iowa, 2.32 percent, up from 2.26 percent; Indiana, 1.93 percent, up from 1.89 percent; Illinois, 0.91 percent, up from 0.9 percent; and Missouri, 0.65 percent, down from 0.67 percent.

The Southern Plains region accounted for 5.28 percent of US production last year, down from 5.36 percent in 2014 but up from 4.2 percent in 2000, 4.6 percent in 1990 and 3.5 percent in 1965.

Milk production shares in 2015 for the two states in the Southern Plains, with comparisons to 2014, were: Texas, 4.93 percent, down from 5 percent; and Oklahoma, 0.35 percent, unchanged.

The Northern Plains region accounted for 3.44 percent of milk production in 2015, up from 3.27 percent in 2014 and 3.05 percent in 2000 but down from 3.6 percent in 1990 and 5.3 percent in 1965.

Milk production shares last year for the four states in the Northern Plains region, with comparisons to 2014, were: Kansas, 1.52 percent, up from 1.51 percent; South Dakota, 1.13 percent, up from 1.02 percent; Nebraska, 0.63 percent, up from 0.58 percent; and North Dakota, 0.16 percent, unchanged.

The Southeast region accounted for 2.27 percent of US milk production last year, up from 2.22 percent in 2014 but down from 2.75 percent in 2000, 3.3 percent in 1990 and 3 percent in 1965.

Milk production shares in 2015 for the four states in the Southeast region, with changes from 2014, were: Florida, 1.24 percent, up from 1.22 percent; Georgia, 0.86 percent, up from 0.82 percent; South Carolina, 0.13 percent, unchanged; and Alabama, 0.05 percent, unchanged.

The Appalachian region accounted for 2.26 percent of US milk production last year, up from 2.25 percent in 2014 but down from 3.85 percent in 2000, 5.6 percent in 1990 and 6.9 percent in 1965.

Milk production shares last year for the five states in the Appalachian region, with comparisons to 2014, were: Virginia, 0.85 percent, down from 0.86 percent; Kentucky, 0.51 percent, up from 0.49 percent; North Carolina, 0.47 percent, unchanged; Tennessee, 0.36 percent, unchanged; and West Virginia, 0.07 percent, unchanged.

Finally, the Delta States region accounted for just 0.21 percent of US milk production last year, down from 0.24 percent in 2014, 1.03 percent in 2000, 1.7 percent in 1990 and 2.3 percent in 1965.

Milk production shares in 2015 for the three states in the Delta States region, with comparisons to 2014, were: Louisiana, 0.09 percent, down from 0.1 percent; Mississippi, 0.08 percent, down from 0.09 percent; and Arkansas, 0.04 percent, down from 0.05 percent.