Trends in the dairy industry

Long-run trends in Wisconsin's dairy industry include a continuing rapid rate of decline in the number of dairy farms. While dairy farm numbers have declined, the average size of dairy farms has been rising consistently and incrementally over the last 50 years. Many dairy farmers are caught in a cost-price squeeze, with the cost of inputs increasing and the price paid for milk at a long-term low by the turn of the century. These forces have led to expansion of the size of many dairy operations, in order to realize a sufficient profitability from the enterprise and to allow children to enter into existing dairy operations.

• Publications
• Data Tables and Graphics
• Links

Trends in the dairy industry - publications:

Click title for abstract, or click the PDF icon or HTML link to read entire article (where available.)

Expansion, Modernization, and Specialization in the Wisconsin Dairy Industry
Research Summary, No. 7, March 2005 [106 KB]

Manure Management on Wisconsin Dairy Farms
Fact Sheet No. 23, February, 2005 [173 KB]

Market Structure and Consumer Valuation in the rBST-free and Organic Milk Markets
by Tirtha Dhar and Jeremy Foltz, presented at the American Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meeting, Montreal, Canada, July 27-30, 2003 [273 KB]

How Consumers Value rBST-free and Organic Milk in the Marketplace
Wisconsin Family Farm Facts No. 19, July, 2003 [49 KB]

The Market for rBST-free and Organic Milk
Wisconsin Family Farm Facts No. 18, July, 2003 [40 KB]

The Roles of Women on Wisconsin Dairy Farms at the Turn of the 21st Century.
Wisconsin Family Farm Facts No. 16, November, 2001 [33 KB]

The Aggregate Performance of the U.S. and Wisconsin Dairy Sectors.
Wisconsin Family Farm Facts No. 12, June, 2001. [42 KB]

Historic and Regional Trends in the U.S. and Wisconsin Dairy Sectors.
Wisconsin Family Farm Facts No. 11. June, 2001. [32 KB]

The Changing Face of Wisconsin Dairy Farms: A Summary of PATS' Research on Structural Change in the 1990s.
PATS Research Report No. 7. August, 2000. [331 KB]

A Profile of Wisconsin's Dairy Industry, 1999.
PATS Research Summary No. 3. March, 2000. [515 KB]

What is the Future of Wisconsin's Moderate-Scale Dairy Farm?
PATS Staff Paper No. 1. June, 1998. [110 KB]

Explaining the Uneven Penetration of Industrialization in the U.S. Dairy Sector.
PATS Staff Paper No. 2. June, 1998. [128 KB]

Wisconsin Farmers' Views on the Benefits and Costs of Livestock Expansion.
Wisconsin Family Farm Facts No. 7. November, 1997. [82 KB]

Getting Bigger? Wisconsin Farmers' Views on Livestock Expansion.
PATS Research Report No. 2. October, 1997. [62 KB]

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Trends in the dairy industry - data tables and graphics:

• Overview
  • Highlights from the 2003 Wisconsin Dairy Farm Poll
    -PATS summary sheet, November 2004 [126 KB]
• Dairy Farm Numbers
  • Number of Farms and Dairy Farms in Wisconsin, 1959 - 1997
  • Percent Decline in the Number of Dairy Farms, Over 5-Year Period, 1950 - 2001
• Economic Indicators
  • Economic Indicators of Wisconsin's Dairy Industry, 1961 - 2001
  • Key Dairy Sector Indicators in Wisconsin, Monthly, January 1994 to July 2002
  • Aggregate Milk Sales in Wisconsin, 1960 - 2001, Nominal and Real Figures
  • Average Price Received for Milk in Wisconsin, 1950 - 2001
  • Dairy Products as Percent of All Agricultural Receipts, All Farms and Dairy Farms, 1959 - 1997
• Regional Trends
  • Percent of US Milk Production, By Region, 1950 - 1999
  • Importance of Major Dairy Regions in the US
• Technology Use
• Adoption of Various Dairy Technologies by Size of Herd, 1999

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Trends in the dairy industry - links:

Babcock Institute for International Dairy Research and Development
http://babcock.cals.wisc.edu/
The Babcock Institute for International Dairy Research and Development provides technical publications, outreach programs, educational tools, research programs, and market analysis for the dairy industry.

Center for Dairy Profitability
http://cdp.wisc.edu/
The University of Wisconsin Center for Dairy Profitability develops,coordinates and conducts effective interdisciplinary educational and applied research programs, emphasizing business management, human resource management, production systems, finance and marketing systems that enhance dairy profitability.

Heart of the Farm - Women in Agriculture
http://www.uwex.edu/ces/heartofthefarm
Addresses the needs of farm women by providing education on pertinent topics, connecting them with agricultural resources, and creating support networks. Visit this web site to learn more about this program for farm women - highlights from past converences, information about upcoming events, and leadership.

UW-Extension's Dairy Team
http://www.uwex.edu/ces/ag/teams/dairy/
UW-Extension's self directed dairy team works to strengthen the competitiveness of the Wisconsin dairy industry through statewide leadership in education and research.

Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board
http://producer.wisdairy.com
Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board's new dairy producer website (previously known as WisLINK®). Find resources to help you manage your farm operation and learn how WMMB is increasing the demand for your raw milk.

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