The United States Department of Agriculture reported this afternoon that milk production was up 0.5% in January for all 50 states. Cow numbers are down 17,000 head from a year ago, but up 7,000 head over December.
For the year, milk production climbed 2.1% to an even 200 billion lb. of milk in 2012. The average production per cow was 21,697 lb., up 361 lb. over 2011 and 15.7% over the last 10 years.
In January, California was down 4.3% in milk production from a year ago, though cow number were down just 2,000 head. Wisconsin was up 4.9% in production, with cow numbers up 5,000.
Idaho was down 1.3%, New York was up 3.1% and Pennsylvania was up 0.9%. The biggest percentage gain came in Kansas, which was up 10.9% over a year ago.
The full report can be read here.
