95% of U.S. dairy farms have disappeared since 1970. Today, about 24,000 dairies remain.
While the number has dropped, the average herd size is on the rise. More than 60% of all milk production occurs on farms with more than 2,500 cows.
So, what is driving the changes in the dairy industry?
That depends on who you ask.
A University of Tennessee Dairy Specialist believes that it is tied to the Federal Milk Marketing Order and how today’s dairy producers are paid for their products.
Related Stories
Payment totals alone do not show financial stress — production costs and net losses complete the picture.
Year-round E15 remains on the table, but procedural caution and competing regional interests pushed action into a slower, negotiated path.
A mid-January winter storm delivered snow, ice, and extreme cold to a broad swath of the U.S., disrupting transportation, stressing livestock systems, and adding cost and complexity to winter farm operations as producers look toward spring.
Heavier weights and strong late-year slaughter supported December production, but lower annual totals highlight ongoing supply tightness heading into 2026.
Junior Livestock Champions Grand Champion Market Steer, topping out at $320,000