USDA: July Milk Production Up 0.8% Over Year-Earlier Level

Western states, Florida and Texas led with increased input, while extreme heat curbed Midwest production.   

Led by higher output in several Western states as well as Florida and Texas, July’s U.S. milk production rose 0.8% over year-earlier levels, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) reported today. 
 
July’s milk production totaled 15.4 billion pounds. Production per cow averaged 1,824 pounds for July, 5 pounds below July 2010 levels.
 
The number of milk cows rose to 8.47 million head, 93,000 more than year-earlier levels and 8,000 head more than June 2011, NASS said.
 
Extreme heat helped drive down Midwest milk production last month. Decreases were seen in:
·         Illinois -5%
·         Indiana -1.4%
·         Iowa -7.1%
·         Michigan -1.5%
·         Minnesota -6.6%
·         Wisconsin -3.5%
 
California increased its output by 4.4% for July, boosting its milk production to 3.550 billion pounds for the month.
 
Idaho’s milk production climbed by 4.8% to 1.193 billion pounds for July. Florida dairies grew their production by 8.0% to 190 million pounds. Despite a scorching summer, Texas expanded its milk output by 8.3% over year-earlier levels, to 798 million pounds.