WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD NEWS) — U.S. milk production increased in 2025, but lower prices pulled cash receipts and producer returns below the previous year. USDA’s annual summary said the industry produced more milk with more cows and better output per cow, even as revenue weakened.
Milk production totaled 232 billion pounds in 2025, up 2.6 percent from 2024. Production per cow averaged 24,390 pounds, up 218 pounds, while the average number of milk cows on farms rose by 153,000 head to 9.50 million.
Marketings also moved higher. USDA said milk marketings reached 231 billion pounds, up 2.6 percent from the year before. That means more milk was moving into commercial channels even as price pressure built on the income side.
Cash receipts from milk marketings totaled $48.9 billion, down 3.7 percent from 2024. Producer returns averaged $21.19 per hundredweight, which was 6.1 percent below the previous year.
The annual report leaves dairy producers with a mixed picture. Output and herd size expanded, but weaker prices kept income from rising with production.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Dairy producers made more milk in 2025, but softer prices trimmed returns and cash receipts.
Tony St. James, RFD News Markets Specialist
Jeramy Stephens of National Land Realty breaks down current trends in the farmland real estate market and how landowners should consider water availability and its impact on land values as they plan for the year ahead.
February 04, 2026 01:57 PM
·
Modest rate relief may come late in 2026, but borrowing costs are likely to stay elevated.
February 04, 2026 11:23 AM
·
U.S. Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas discusses expected changes to the 45Z tax credit and what they could mean for agriculture and rural America.
February 04, 2026 11:13 AM
·
Purdue University Professor of Agricultural Economics Dr. Jim Mintert shares a closer look at farmer sentiment and the key issues shaping the agricultural economy in January.
February 04, 2026 10:53 AM
·
China-led demand continues to anchor soybean and sorghum exports despite weekly swings.
February 04, 2026 06:00 AM
·
Shrinking slaughter capacity may delay heifer retention, complicating herd rebuilding plans.
February 03, 2026 02:26 PM
·
